On Tuesday, the Advocates Association, Bengaluru (AAB) resolved to abstain from work for an hour in protest against the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation to transfer four sitting judges of the Karnataka High Court.

Following the Bar’s announcement, several benches of the High Court, including Courts 7, 8, and 21, temporarily halted proceedings as a mark of solidarity with the protest.

The transfers, recommended by the Collegium on April 21, concern Justices Krishna S Dixit, K Natarajan, Sanjay Gowda, and Hemant Chandangoudar.

As per the Notification, Justice Dixit is to be transferred to the Orissa High Court, Justice Natarajan to the Kerala High Court, Justice Chandangoudar to the Madras High Court, and Justice Gowda to the Gujarat High Court.

The Collegium stated that the decision was aimed at "infusing inclusivity and diversity at the level of High Courts and strengthening the quality of administration of justice."

However, the recommendation has stirred unrest within the legal fraternity. Both the President of the Advocates Association at the Karnataka High Court’s Dharwad Bench and the Advocates Association, Bengaluru, have written to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, raising concerns and expressing opposition to the proposed transfers.

In response, the AAB passed a resolution to observe a one-hour abstention from court work in protest.