Meghalaya Bar Association President labels court boycott illegal

The President of the High Court of Meghalaya Bar Association (HCBA), KS Kynjing, has formally challenged a decision to boycott courts and tribunals in Meghalaya, labeling the move ‘highly illegal’. The rift within the association stems from a dispute involving Advocate General Amit Kumar.

Kynjing expressed ‘serious dissatisfaction’ in a letter to the association’s Secretary, Kishore Ch Gautam, accusing him of taking unilateral actions without executive committee approval. These actions included communicating with the Supreme Court Bar Association in New Delhi, holding unauthorized press conferences, and organizing a joint meeting with the Shillong Bar Association that resulted in the October 1 boycott call.

The President also condemned the unauthorized display of ‘Go Back Amit Kumar’ banners within the High Court Bar premises, stating they bring disrepute to the association. Kynjing cited a 2003 Supreme Court judgment, Ex-Capt. Harish Uppal v. Union of India, to argue that lawyers have no legal right to strike or boycott.