LUCKNOW: In one of the rare instances of a retiring judge speaking up against the Collegium decision, Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker, on Tuesday, said that his transfer from Chhattisgarh High Court to Allahabad High Court in 2018 by the Collegium headed by then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra was ill-intentioned and directed to harass him. The retiring chief justice of Allahabad High Court was speaking at the farewell function organized in his honor in Prayagraj.
As per the sources, Justice Diwaker said that in a sudden turn of events, the then Chief Justice of India Justice Dipak Misra transferred him from Chhattisgarh to Allahabad High Court where he assumed office on October 3, 2018.
“The then Chief Justice showered on me some extra affection for the reasons still not known to me which entailed my transfer from Chhattisgarh to Allahabad High Court and the transfer order seems to have been issued with an ill-intention to harass me," said Justice Diwaker.
He added that as fortune would have it, the bane turned into a boon as he received immense support and cooperation from his companion judges as well as from the members of the Bar. Pertinently, the retiring judge thanked the current CJI DY Chandrachud for rectifying the injustice done to him.
It was the Collegium headed by CJI Chandrachud that recommended him to take over as the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court.
Born in 1961, Justice Diwaker's parent High Court is the Chhattisgarh High Court. He graduated in law from Durgawati University in Jabalpur and enrolled as an advocate in 1984. He was designated Senior Advocate in January 2005 and elevated to a judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court on March 31, 2009.
He has been a judge of the Allahabad High Court since October 3, 2018. In a full court reference organized by the High Court, Justice Diwaker shared his experience and journey in the legal profession.
Talking about his experience as the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court, Justice Diwaker remarked that balancing a heavy workload is indeed a challenge in the High Court. Justice Diwakar also praised the lawyers practicing before the Allahabad High Court bench at Lucknow.
"The quality of lawyers at Lucknow and their behavior is commendable. Their legal acumen and presentation are as good as lawyers of any other High Court," he stated. Justice Diwaker also said that he never aspired to be a judge but became one due to destiny.
