Centre rolls Dinakaran ball in supreme court

The government sought to avoid on Monday getting involved in the raging controversy over PD Dinakaran’s alleged land grab and told parliament that it was for the Supreme Court (SC) collegium to decide the fate of the Karnataka chief justice (CJ).

Replying to questions raised by Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh in Rajya Sabha, law minister M Veerappa Moily said a view on allegations against a high court chief justice, who was recommended for elevation to SC, had to be taken by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) “as per existing procedure”.

After CJI’s revelation that it was for the government to take a decision on the collegium’s decision to elevate Dinakaran, the government reacted and returned the recommendation as rejected.

But under the laid down procedure that’s in vogue since the 1993 judgment, the government wouldn’t have a choice but to accept the recommendation if it’s made again.

In another reply, Moily said the government had no plans to review the present system of appointing judges to high courts and SC.

The government adheres to the 1993 SC judgment while appointing judges to the higher judiciary.

“There is no proposal at present before the government to reconsider this procedure,” Moily said.

But the government is working on a legislation to bring accountability and transparency in the collegium’s selection mechanism that’s condemned by noted jurists and SC retired judges alike.

In the wake of the government rolling Dinakaran’s nomination back in the collegium’s court, and the likelihood of his transfer to another HC, serious moves are being made by lawyers to get the signatures of at least 50 MPs to initiate impeachment proceedings against him.