Bar Association of India press conference updates: CJI Dipak Misra delivers first public speech after impeachment row

The Bar Association of India (BAI), a lawyers’ body in India, will hold a press conference at 3.30 pm on Thursday to discuss their take on the “crisis being faced by Indian Judiciary.” The lawyers’ body is expected to release a resolution on the issues regarding the judiciary that have come to light in the recent past. [caption id=“attachment_4453561” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AP[/caption] The Supreme Court of India has been divided in opinion over a number of issues including the assigning of cases to benches, the powers of the Chief Justice of India, and appointment of judges. The fact that the ‘house was not in order’ at India’s premiere judicial institution came out in public when four out of five members of the collegium had to hold a  press conference to express their anguish on the allocation of cases. More recently, an impeachment notice against Chief Justice Dipak Misra was moved by several Opposition parties, but Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu decided to quash the notice of impeachment motion. Moreover, the Centre has been accused of delaying the appointment of Supreme Court judges and undermining the judiciary’s independence. The BJP-led central government ‘selectively’ accepted senior lawyer Indu Malhotra’s appointment, but rejected Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph’s elevation to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court Bar Association had criticised the government’s move of ‘cherry-picking’ names recommendeded for appointment as apex court judges. The council  also agreed to a resolution seeking urgent convening of Supreme Court Bar Association meeting to discuss the issues arising from the controversy over judge appointments.