NEW DELHI: In a relief to the Andhra Pradesh government, the Supreme Court on Friday quashed a controversial order passed by the State High Court in which Justice Rakesh Kumar had strongly slammed the Collegium and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
A two-judge bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice Bela M Trivedi and also comprising Justice Pankaj Mithal, reversed all the controversial observations in the High Court and disposed of the matter. The bench was hearing an appeal filed by the State government challenging a December 31, 2020 order passed by Justice Kumar. Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Niranjan Reddy and Mahfooz Nazki appeared for the Andhra Pradesh government.
Stating that the HC order was incorrect and wrongly passed, they sought appropriate directions from the SC in the case. Justice Kumar had passed the order and observations after hearing a recusal application filed by the State government seeking the judge’s recusal from a case involving a challenge to the auction of State land.
Transfer of two CJs slammed
In the order, Justice Kumar had expressed his strong disapproval at the SC Collegium in relation to the transfer of two Chief Justices, while also castigating the Jagan-led regime in the State for its apparent attempts to undermine the High Court