Like
all organs of the state and society, the Supreme Court, too, is riven by
internal dissensions even as its judges are seen pontificating on high morality
in their public discourses. Just
look at it: After reversing and modifying its decisions on judicial
appointments, the SC collegium, for reasons best known to it, also made a move
to transfer Justice S Muralidhar out of Delhi High Court. Justice
Muralidhar came to the limelight in December 2018 when a two-judge bench headed
by him convicted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case related to the 1984
Sikh riots. The judgment overturned the acquittals and censured the tardy
prosecution of cases related to the butchering of Sikhs by members and
sympathizers of the Congress Party. He also delivered the Hashimpura verdict
convicting members of UP PAC in a case related to the killing of some members
of the second majority community in 1986. Reports
indicate that he might have earned the displeasure of two major political
parties for his non-partisan judgments. It is
said when the first attempt at transferring Justice Muralidhar was made in
December 2018, a judge in the Collegium from the Delhi High Court is said to
have persuaded the CJI to not insist on it. Reportedly, a second attempt was
made in January 2019 when the Collegium changed after the retirement of Justice
Lokur. Further,
in January this year, the Supreme Court Collegium overturned its own December
12, 2018 decisions of elevating two High Court Chief Justices to the apex
court. This stopped the elevation of Justice Pradeep Nandrajog, Chief Justice
of Rajasthan High Court, and Justice Rajendra Menon, Chief Justice of Delhi
High Court. On
January 10, a new SC Collegium, in its first meeting, instead decided to
elevate Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court, and
Justice Sanjeev Khanna, a judge of Delhi High Court.
SC seen riven by internal dissensions
By IndianMandarins - 2019-01-28 11:27:36
Like
all organs of the state and society, the Supreme Court, too, is riven by
internal dissensions even as its judges are seen pontificating on high morality
in their public discourses.
Just look at it: After reversing and modifying its decisions on judicial appointments, the SC collegium, for reasons best known to it, also made a move to transfer Justice S Muralidhar out of Delhi High Court.
Justice Muralidhar came to the limelight in December 2018 when a two-judge bench headed by him convicted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case related to the 1984 Sikh riots. The judgment overturned the acquittals and censured the tardy prosecution of cases related to the butchering of Sikhs by members and sympathizers of the Congress Party. He also delivered the Hashimpura verdict convicting members of UP PAC in a case related to the killing of some members of the second majority community in 1986.
Reports indicate that he might have earned the displeasure of two major political parties for his non-partisan judgments.
It is said when the first attempt at transferring Justice Muralidhar was made in December 2018, a judge in the Collegium from the Delhi High Court is said to have persuaded the CJI to not insist on it. Reportedly, a second attempt was made in January 2019 when the Collegium changed after the retirement of Justice Lokur.
Further, in January this year, the Supreme Court Collegium overturned its own December 12, 2018 decisions of elevating two High Court Chief Justices to the apex court. This stopped the elevation of Justice Pradeep Nandrajog, Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court, and Justice Rajendra Menon, Chief Justice of Delhi High Court.
On January 10, a new SC Collegium, in its first meeting, instead decided to elevate Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court, and Justice Sanjeev Khanna, a judge of Delhi High Court.
