Shillong, October 7: Hundreds of advocates from Bar Associations across Meghalaya on Wednesday took to the streets in Shillong as part of the second phase of their agitation demanding the removal of Advocate General Amit Kumar over alleged remarks and conduct during court proceedings that they said had hurt the dignity of the legal profession. The rally brought together lawyers from across the State, barring Baghmara, with the legal fraternity maintaining a common demand for Kumar’s removal.
Senior advocate Kishore Chand Gautam, General Secretary of the High Court Bar Association, said the lawyers had earlier met Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and received an assurance regarding Kumar’s appearance in courts. Gautam alleged that Kumar subsequently resumed appearing in courts, prompting the lawyers to resume their boycott and intensify the agitation.
Gautam said, “We had meeting with the chief minister and after meeting with the chief minister and assistance was given to us that Amit Kumar will not appear in the court, high court or any other court within the state of Meghalaya as well as the outstation panel lawyers against whom we were agitating. However in midst of this status quo Amit Kumar started appearing in the courts.”
He added, “Today we had this really where all the members , delegation from most bar Association from all across Meghalaya barring Baghmara assemble today. Everyone stand in unison with our demand and our demand is the same removal of Amit Kumar as Advocate General only Meghalaya. We don’t understand why Amit Kumar is so important that our pleas, number of times representation and till now nothing has happened.”
The lawyers have also filed an RTI seeking information on public funds spent on the office of the Advocate General and outstation lawyers. Gautam said, “They were denied information and following which the lawyers have filed an appeal.” He added that the lawyers would continue with different modes of agitation.
