2 weeks ago
Meghalaya Bar Associations Reject Appeal Over Advocate General’s Expulsion
A law intern said that a senior lawyer had sexually harassed her and offered her money to stay quiet.
Police registered a case in Shillong on July 28.
Soon afterward, members of a student group took the lawyer from his chamber and marched him through the streets.
Videos showed him being assaulted and forced to apologise.
The Bar Associations said this was mob justice and asked that the case be handled by the legal system.
Advocate General Amit Kumar said lawyers also needed to do more to protect women and provide safe ways to report complaints.
The Bar Associations viewed some of his remarks as criticism of them.
They ended his membership and asked the Chief Minister to remove him as Advocate General.
The Supreme Court Bar Association disagreed with punishing Kumar, but the Meghalaya Bar Associations refused to reverse their decision.
A woman’s sexual-harassment allegation against a senior advocate led to an FIR in Shillong on July 28.
The accused advocate was allegedly assaulted and paraded through Shillong by members of the Hynñiewtrep National Youth Front.
The Meghalaya High Court and Shillong Bar Associations condemned the incident as mob justice and pursued legal action against those involved.
Advocate General Amit Kumar criticised the Bar’s lack of an Internal Complaints Committee and confidential reporting mechanisms for women.
The Bar Associations expelled Kumar, while the Supreme Court Bar Association supported his remarks and unsuccessfully sought reversal of the expulsion.
- Who
- A law intern, an unnamed senior advocate, Advocate General Amit Kumar, the Meghalaya and Shillong Bar Associations, and members of the Hynñiewtrep National Youth Front.
- What
- A dispute over a sexual-harassment allegation, the accused advocate’s public assault and parading, workplace safety in the legal profession, and Kumar’s expulsion from the Bar Associations.
- Where
- Shillong and Meghalaya, including police and Bar Association institutions in the state.
- When
- The FIR was registered on July 28; key developments occurred from July 29 through August 14.
- Why
- The dispute arose over how the harassment allegation and alleged vigilante assault were handled, and over whether the Bar had adequate mechanisms to protect and support women lawyers and interns.
Advocate General and Supreme Court Bar Association
Meghalaya and Shillong Bar Associations
Women’s safety and reporting systems
Advocate General and Supreme Court Bar Association
Amit Kumar said the Bar had a collective moral failure to provide a safe working environment and argued that complaint drop boxes were not confidential redressal mechanisms without safeguards. The Supreme Court Bar Association described his remarks as recognising the need for safe and dignified spaces for women lawyers and interns.
Meghalaya and Shillong Bar Associations
The Bar Associations said complaint drop boxes had been made mandatory across their offices and the Meghalaya State Bar Council, while viewing Kumar’s remarks as casting blame on them.
Response to the public assault
Advocate General and Supreme Court Bar Association
Kumar questioned why the Bar acted quickly against alleged mob justice while, according to him, failing to establish an Internal Complaints Committee despite agreeing to do so in April 2024.
Meghalaya and Shillong Bar Associations
The Bar Associations petitioned the Meghalaya High Court against the advocate’s apprehension and described the public parading as mob justice and vigilante action that should be dealt with strictly according to law.
Expulsion from the Bar
Advocate General and Supreme Court Bar Association
The Supreme Court Bar Association said disciplinary action against Kumar for submissions made during judicial proceedings was unwarranted and sought reversal of his expulsion.
Meghalaya and Shillong Bar Associations
The Meghalaya High Court Bar Association and Shillong Bar Association terminated Kumar’s membership and rejected the request to withdraw the decision.
Key facts
- Initial complaint
- A woman alleged that a senior advocate sexually harassed her and later placed Rs 500 inside her blazer to induce her to remain silent.
- FIR date
- Shillong police registered an FIR on July 28.
- Parading incident
- Members of the Hynñiewtrep National Youth Front allegedly took the advocate from his chamber and paraded him through Shillong.
- Police action
- Police registered a suo motu FIR concerning the assault and parading and arrested four people based on video footage.
- Bar decision
- The Meghalaya High Court Bar Association and Shillong Bar Association terminated Amit Kumar’s membership on August 5.
- Supreme Court Bar Association
- The Supreme Court Bar Association said disciplinary action against Kumar was unwarranted and asked that his expulsion be withdrawn.
- Final response
- The Meghalaya High Court and Shillong Bar Associations rejected the request to reverse Kumar’s expulsion.
Sources
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