NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India of India K G Balakrishnan today reportedly agreed to examine the question of transferring Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P D Dinakaran who has been accused of land-grabbing but said he has no power to relieve the judge of his judicial duties.
The Chief Justice is stated to have told a delegation of Karnataka advocates who met him today at the Supreme Court that he has no Constitutional power to relieve Dinkaran of his duties.
The Chief Justice is also stated to have told a delegation of The Advocates Association, Bangalore that the Supreme Court collegium has no independent mechanism to investigate the corruption charges against Justice Dinakaran and has hence left the task to the Central Government.
He is stated to have told them that a decision on disciplinary action can be taken against Justice Dinakaran only on the receipt of a report from the Centre.
The delegation comprising the association's president K N Puttegowda, general secretary R Rajanna and Treasurer T G Ravi also met collegium members Justices Tarun Chatterjee, R V Raveenderan, besides Justice Cyriac Joseph with their demand to relieve the judge of his duties.
Puttegowda told PTI after the meeting that they have made it clear through a written memorandum to the collegium that continuance of Dinakaran would "result in erosion of public confidence in the judiciary."
"Though the Chief Justice did not agree to our demand for relieving Justice Dinakaran of his judicial work, he has agreed to examine the question of transferring him to some other high court, as demanded by us," Puttegowda said.