AMN / NEW DELHI
The Supreme Court Collegium today deferred its decision on the issue of reconsidering the name of Uttarakhand Chief Justice K M Joseph for elevation as an apex court judge.
All the five judges of the Collegium — Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph –took part in the meeting.
The Collegium resolution said that it met to consider the case of Justice K.M. Joseph, Chief Justice, Uttarakhand High Court, pursuant to letters dated 26th & 30th April, 2018 received from Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India and also to consider the names of Judges from Calcutta, Rajasthan, and Telangana & Andhra Pradesh High Courts for elevation as Judges of the Supreme Court, in view of the concept of fair representation.
Meanwhile Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said, the government’s decision to stop the Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K M Joseph’s appointment in Supreme Court did not have anything to do with his verdict cancelling President’s rule in Uttarakhand.
Mr. Prasad said, sponsored allegations are being levelled against the government by the Congress and others that Mr Joseph’s appointment was stalled due to his 2016 Uttarakhand President’s Rule verdict.
Talking to media in New Delhi, Mr. Prasad defended the government move to ask the Supreme Court collegium to reconsider its decision.
He said, the government has the right to seek reconsideration of a name recommended by the collegium and this was a power given to the centre by the Supreme Court.