A Kerala First Class Judicial Magistrate was transferred from Tirur to Kannur on Tuesday, November 21 following complaints from lawyers alleging that the magistrate used derogatory language against them.
Lenin Das was serving as a temporary magistrate in Tirur, Malappuram district, where the lawyers put forth the allegations that he verbally abused them. The discontent against Lenin peaked after the magistrate allegedly ordered a junior lawyer to be escorted out of his courtroom in the middle of a hearing.
Join TNM and Newslaundry as we bring to you the most compelling reporting and analysis during the upcoming elections in Telangana, Mizoram, MP, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan. Click here to support our election coverage.
Earlier this week, the Kerala High Court Advocates' Association (KHCAA) wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court AJ Desai, demanding action against Das for using derogatory language towards the lawyers.
In its letter, the Association also complained of misconduct by the magistrate. The Association alleged that there was a general pattern followed by the magistrate in verbally abusing the juniors. "Such conduct is antithetical to the expected standards of a judicial officer and raises serious concerns about the sanctity of the legal system", the association had stated in its letter.
Following this, the Tirur Bar Association also met HC Justice N Nagaresh, who is also the in-charge of Malappuram district, and apprised him of the unbecoming conduct of the magistrate. Das was subsequently transferred.
According to the transfer order, the magistrate will have to join his new post at Kannur in the next four days. Meanwhile, Vishnudathan TS, who was the Additional Munsiff at Kannur has been posted as First Class Judicial Magistrate at Tirur till further orders are issued.
(With IANS inputs)