Gangtok: In what is set to be a further embarrassment to Karnataka Chief Justice PD Dinakaran, the Sikkim Bar Association on Friday
protested his proposed transfer to their state in the same capacity
and appealed to the Supreme Court to reconsider the decision.
The bar association held an emergency meeting here soon
after the news of the proposed transfer was telecast on news
channels and unanimously resolved to boycott the swearing-in
as well as the court to be presided over by Dinakaran, its
president D R Thapa said.
"How come the person be fit to be discharge judicial
duties in one state if he has not been found worthy of
doing the same in another state," Thapa asked.
59-year-old Dinakaran has been dogged by charges of
misuse of authority, corruption and land grab, which had
prompted the apex court to retract its decision to elevate him
to the Supreme Court last year.
The Supreme Court had earlier this week asked Dinakaran
to go on a long leave and appointed Delhi High Court Judge
Madan B Lokur as the acting Chief Justice of Karnataka High
Court.
However, with Dinakaran refusing to go on leave, the
proposal for his transfer was made by the Supreme Court
collegium yesterday and it was sent to President Pratibha
Patil for approval.
The decision was taken by the Supreme Court collegium consisting of Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan, Justice SH Kapadia, RV Raveendran and Dalveer Bhandari.
The proposal of shifting the controversial Karnataka High Court Justice is being sent to the Centre for approval of the President.
The collegium took the decision in the light of reports that the judicial work of the Karnataka High Court was being affected as Dinakaran was not been performing any judicial work since December last.
Reports further claimed that the apex court collegium has also cleared the name of the acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court Justice Madan B Lokur to be appointed as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court.
The collegium has also recommended the name of the senior-most judge of the Jharkhand High Court MY Eqbal as the new chief justice of the Madras High Court. He will succeed Justice HL Gokhale, who has been recommended for elevation to the Supreme Court.
-PTI
