Draft:Arunava Ghosh
Arunava Ghosh | |
|---|---|
 Advocate Arunava Ghosh | |
| Born | Kolkata, West Bengal, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Presidency College (BSc, MSc); University of Calcutta (BA, LLB) |
| Occupation | Advocate |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Known for | Legal practice; Calcutta High Court Bar Association; political involvement |
| Spouse | Homemaker |
Arunava Ghosh is an Indian advocate and political figure based in Kolkata, West Bengal. He is a senior practising lawyer at the Calcutta High Court, known for his legal activism, Bar leadership and involvement in politically sensitive cases and controversies.
Early life and education
[edit]Ghosh completed his schooling at South Point High School in Kolkata. He obtained a BSc in Physiology from Presidency College in 1974, and an MSc in Physiology from the University of Calcutta in 1978. He later earned a BA and LLB from the University of Calcutta in 1980.
Legal career
[edit]Admitted to the Bar in 1980, Ghosh has practised law at the Calcutta High Court for over four decades, specialising in civil litigation and notarial services.[1]
In December 2021, Ghosh was elected President of the Calcutta High Court Bar Association. He secured 1,150 votes in a highly contested election, winning with support from the Congress and Left-aligned groups.[2][3]
In 2014, Ghosh declined an offer to be designated as a senior advocate by the High Court, citing concerns over the transparency of the appointment process.[4]
Political involvement
[edit]Ghosh has been associated with the Indian National Congress. In the 2016 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, he contested the Bidhannagar constituency on a Congress ticket. He secured 59,142 votes, finishing second to Sujit Bose of the All India Trinamool Congress.[5]
He has consistently criticised the increasing politicisation of Bar association elections in West Bengal, warning that party influence from the Trinamool Congress and the BJP has led to factionalism within the legal community.[6]
Controversies
[edit]In August 2022, Ghosh filed a formal application before the Calcutta High Court seeking to reassign cases from Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, arguing that the judge had breached decorum by permitting video recording of proceedings and allowing media presence in the courtroom.[7]
This resulted in a heated courtroom exchange, during which Justice Gangopadhyay threatened contempt proceedings against Ghosh, calling him a "hooligan". Ghosh, in turn, responded that he “knew how to deal with a judge”. The incident drew widespread media attention.[8]
Public advocacy
[edit]As Bar Association president, Ghosh supported protests demanding more High Court judges and better court infrastructure. In 2018, he supported cease-work actions by lawyers who were demanding appointments to reduce the heavy case backlog at the Calcutta High Court.[9]
He has also written and spoken publicly on the role of the Bar Council and the ethical responsibilities of advocates under the Advocates Act, 1961.[10][11]
Personal life
[edit]Ghosh resides in Kolkata, West Bengal. His wife is a homemaker.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Arunava Ghosh". MyNeta. Association for Democratic Reforms. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ^ "Calcutta High Court Bar Association gets new executive committee". The Times of India. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ^ "TMC-backed candidate elected as secretary of High Court Bar Association". Millennium Post. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ^ "Controversy over HC advocate honour". The Telegraph. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ^ "Arunava Ghosh (Indian National Congress) – Bidhannagar". MyNeta. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ^ "Trinamool vs BJP: Why Bar elections at Calcutta HC are politically charged". The Indian Express. 22 March 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ^ "Lawyer Arunava Ghosh seeks change in judge jurisdiction". The Telegraph. 29 August 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ^ ""I will issue rule of contempt and send you to prison" — Full exchange between Justice Gangopadhyay and Arunava Ghosh". Bar & Bench. 29 August 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ^ "Calcutta HC at standstill for two months as lawyers demand more judges". The Indian Express. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ^ "Bar Council Jurisdiction under Advocates Act". Court Kutchehry. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ^ "Case law on Bar Council powers". Indian Kanoon. Retrieved 25 July 2025.