NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court collegium refused to accept Centre’s objection raised on elevation of four advocates as judges of the Karnataka High Court and passed two resolutions recommending the appointment of 12 advocates as judges of the Karnataka High Court.A resolution dated October 3 states that, “As regards Savanur Vishwajith Shetty, his name has been sent back by the Department of Justice to the Collegium for reconsideration with the following observations that there is a complaint against Shri Savanur Vishwajith Shetty that he is having nexus with underworld and land mafia which indulged in extortion.”
“The Collegium has perused the complaint dated NIL in this regard levelling allegations against Savanur Vishwajith Shetty. The allegations in the complaint have not been verified at any level at any point of time. Besides, Intelligence Bureau in its report has, inter alia, recorded that he enjoys good personal and professional image and nothing adverse came to notice against his integrity. Besides, all the consultee Judges have found him suitable for elevation.
In view of above, the Collegium is inclined to take the view that the allegations in the complaint dated Nil on the basis of which his name has been sent back for reconsideration are not tenable,” the resolution stated while adding that there is acute shortage of Judges in Karnataka High Court and it would be appropriate if the above proposal is processed expeditiously.
Similar reasoning was given by the collegium while recommending other names- Maralur Indrakumar Arun, Mohammed Ghouse Shukure Kamal, and Engalaguppe Seetharamaiah Indiresh respectively.By a separate resolution, the Collegium has also recommended the elevation of eight more lawyers as judges to the Karnataka High Court. The advocates so proposed to be elevated are, Neranahalli Srinivasan Sanjay Gowda, Mulimani Jyoti, Rangaswamy Nataraj, Nagendra Ramachandra Naik, Chandangoudar Hemant, Ravi Venkappa Hosmani, Pradeep Singh Yerur and Maheshan Nagaprasanna.
However, the name of one other lawyer, Tarikere Sathyanarayana Venkatesh, was remitted by the Collegium to the High Court.The collegium has also resolved to recommend the appointment of Bibhu Prasad Routray, Judicial Officer as a Judge of the Orissa High Court and also recommended the elevation of Advocate Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi as a Judge of the Orissa High Court.
‘Nexus with underworld and land mafia’
A resolution dated October 3 states that, “As regards Savanur Vishwajith Shetty, his name has been sent back by the Department of Justice to the Collegium for reconsideration with the following observations that there is a complaint against Shri Savanur Vishwajith Shetty that he is having nexus with underworld and land mafia which indulged in extortion.”