New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed an NGO to assist the Rajya Sabha-appointed panel in
its ongoing probe into the charges of corruption and judicial
misconduct against Sikkim High Court Chief Justice P D
Dinakaran.
A vacation bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi allowed
civil society Forum for Judicial Accountability`s plea after
it contended that earlier it had been allowed to assist the
inquiry committee during the impeachment process of Justice V
Ramaswami of the Supreme Court.
The apex court, however, said the civil society
would not be allowed to file its written submission and
affidavit before the three-member committee headed by Justice
Aftab Alam of the Supreme Court.
Besides Justice Alam, senior advocate P P Rao and
Karnataka High Court Chief Justice J S Khehar are the members
of the committee.
Justice Dinakaran early this week had moved the apex
court against the ongoing probe against him by the Upper House
panel, contending that it has exceeded its jurisdiction in
probing charges of judicial misconduct and corruption against
him.
He had alleged that the panel has expanded the ambit
of the probe beyond what was initially adopted by the Rajya
Sabha motion.
On Justice Dinakaran`s plea, the apex court early this
week had issued notice to the panel, seeking its stand on the
plea.
Earlier, senior counsel and former Additional
Solicitor General Amrendra Saran, appearing for Dinakaran,
had also sought senior advocate P P Rao`s withdrawal from the
panel on the ground that he was biased against him.
Saran had pointed out that Rao was part of the
resolution passed in November 2009 under the aegis of the Bar
Association of India to ask erstwhile Chief Justice of India K
G Balakrishnan against elevating Dinakaran, 61, to the apex
court due to various charges of corruption and judicial
misconduct against him.
Saran had also argued that Rao was the part of the
delegation which subsequently met the Chief Justice and made a
representation opposing Dinakaran`s elevation.
The apex court had on April 29 stayed the probe by the
panel after Dinakaran had expressed apprehension of a
biased inquiry by it in view of Rao being on the panel.
It had also asked the committee headed by Justice
Alam of the Supreme Court to respond to Dinakaran`s plea that
Rao should quit the panel.
PTI
