New Delhi: The Supreme Court today turned
down the demand for removal of senior counsel Harish Salve as
amicus curaie in the cases relating to Gujarat post-Godhra
communal riots being monitored by a special bench of the apex
court.
Counsel Kamini Jaiswal, appearing for some of the rights
activis, told the court that they had no faith in Salve as he
had earlier appeared for Gujarat government in certain other
cases like the Israt Jahan fake encounter killing case.
However, the bench of Justices D K Jain, P Sathasivam and
Aftab Alam rejected the plea that it was for the court to
decide whether Salve should continue as amicus or not.
"We have appointed him to assist the court. It is not for
the parties to decide but for the court to decide on such
issues," the apex court said while rejecting the plea.
An amicus curaie is appointed by the court to assist it
impartially in various sensitive and important cases.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, February 09, 2010, 21:03