NEW DELHI: Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya on Monday said he shared the sentiments of the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) over the transfer of Justices Arun Monga and Tara Vitasta Ganju, whose farewell was marked by expressions of unease from lawyers and judges alike.
Justice Monga has been posted to the Rajasthan High Court and Justice Ganju to the Karnataka High Court — transfers that have drawn sharp opposition from various bar bodies, particularly in Justice Ganju’s case.
At a full court reference to bid farewell to the two judges, Chief Justice Upadhyaya said, “Let me first of all state before you that I respect the sentiments of members of the Bar on the transfer of our colleagues from this court... I would again express all my good wishes to both my colleagues, and I join the Bar in their sentiment expressed through the president today.”
Justice Monga, who joined the Delhi High Court from Rajasthan in July 2025, thanked the Delhi High Court Bar Association for acting as an “adoptive parent” when he began his practice in the capital. Reflecting on the judicial role, he said, “A judge’s true voice is not in speeches or appearances, but in the reasoning, restraint and reflection left behind in his judgements. Those words, once written, become our quiet conversation with the law and with those who follow it.”
Justice Ganju, appointed to the HC in May 2022, said the judiciary was not merely an arbiter of disputes but “a guardian of constitutional promise, the promise of liberty, equality and justice for all.” She urged young lawyers to embody discipline, humility and patience, saying,
“A true measure of an advocate is not the number of cases argued, but its fairness and dignity.” Defending her long work hours, she said, “The demands of justice do not always keep to the clock, and our foremost duty must remain to the nation and to the litigants who seek relief from us. Personal comfort or even the prospect of disapproval cannot outweigh the obligation we owe to the cause of justice.”
DHCBA president and senior advocate N Hariharan voiced anguish over the “frequent” transfers of judges, warning it could affect judicial independence. “Judicial independence is not a privilege of judges, but the people’s right, and only an independent judiciary can safeguard their liberties,” he said.
