Ranchi (20.09.2024): When the Assembly elections are getting closure, the Jharkhand government has filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court (SC) against the Centre over delay in the appointment of the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court to give a message to people of the state that Central government is partial towards Jharkhand.
The petition has been filed against Secretary of the Ministry of Law and Justice Rajiv Mani and others for non-compliance of SC directions. In its judgments on April 20, 2021, the SC set strict timelines for the appointment of HC judges. 2021. The Court had directed that after the Supreme Court Collegium reaffirms its recommendation for an appointment, the Government must process the appointment within 3-4 weeks. The petition states that despite this order, the appointment of a permanent Chief Justice for the Jharkhand HC has been delayed significantly.
Jharkhand HC has been functioning with an acting Chief Justice Since December 2023 which has affected the independence of the judiciary and the administration of justice. The SC Collegium recommended the appointment of Dr Justice BR Sarangi, a judge of the Orissa High Court, as the Chief Justice of Jharkhand. The recommendation was approved by the Central Government on July 3, 2024 just 15 days before his retirement on July 19, 2024. The petition contends that the delay defeated the purpose of his appointment and hindered the administration of justice.
On July 11, 2024, the Collegium recommended the transfer of Justice MS Ramachandra Rao, Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, to Jharkhand High Court as the Chief Justice. However, the transfer has not yet been notified.
