Karkardooma: The Shahdara Bar Association has resolved to boycott the courts of two judicial officers at the Karkardooma District Courts Complex in Delhi, citing repeated instances of discourteous and humiliating conduct towards advocates.
In an urgent notice dated 6 August 2026, the Association announced that its Executive Committee had decided members would not appear, either physically or through video conferencing, before Sh. S.S. Rathi, Principal Judge, Family Courts, East District, and Ms. Ritika Kansal, Judicial Magistrate First Class, Mahila Court, East District, until the situation is addressed.
According to the notice, the Executive Committee had convened an urgent meeting on 6 August 2026 after receiving persistent complaints from lawyers alleging discourteous, humiliating and disrespectful treatment by the two judicial officers while discharging their professional duties. The Association stated that despite earlier complaints and reminders addressed to the District Judge, East District, Karkardooma Courts, no action had been taken against the officers concerned, nor had their conduct improved.
The notice cites a specific incident on the same day, stating that “Sh. S.S. Rathi, Ld. Principal Judge, Family Courts, East District, Karkardooma Courts, Delhi addressed one of the senior member of our bar as a ‘Dallal’, which is totally unacceptable & cannot be tolerated at all,” as the immediate trigger for the resolution.
Emphasising that the relationship between the Bench and the Bar is founded on mutual respect, dignity and cooperation, the Association noted that while advocates are duty-bound to maintain professional conduct and courtroom decorum, judicial officers are equally expected to uphold the dignity of the institution by treating members of the Bar with courtesy, patience and fairness. The notice further states that “any such behaviour strikes at the independence of the legal profession and undermines public confidence in the administration of justice.”
The Association declared that it would not tolerate any instance where an advocate is subjected to humiliation, intimidation, unwarranted personal remarks, abusive language, or any conduct unbecoming of a judicial officer. Accordingly, the Executive Committee resolved to boycott the courts presided over by the two officers, and requested all lawyers to refrain from appearing before them, either in person or through video conferencing, in order to uphold the dignity of the profession.
