NEW DELHI: Despite the SC Collegium acceding to the Centre’s recommendation of transferring Justice Akil Kureshi as the Chief Justice from Madhya Pradesh high court to Tripura high court, the Centre is yet to notify his appointment but has cleared the appointments of chief justices of seven high courts recently.
Meanwhile, the Centre has notified the appointments of Justice Sanjay Yadav as acting Chief Justice of MP and Justice N Kotiswar Singh as Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court respectively.
The SC collegium had initially recommended Justice Kureshi as the chief justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court but the Centre objected, following which the collegium modified its decision and recommended him for Tripura High Court. In May, the SC Collegium had recommended that Justice Kureshi be appointed as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Several other recommendations made by the Collegium after that were approved by the Centre except this.
Moreover, the Gujarat High Court Advocates Association had also filed a petition in SC taking objection to the Central government’s reluctance to appoint Justice Akil Kureshi as Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court.
However, the SC kept the petition by the Gujarat Advocates Association pending which raised concern over Centre not notifying Justice Kureshi’s appointment and CJI Ranjan Gogoi had observed that, “Judicial review is severely restricted. Interference in system of administration of justice does not augur well for the institution.”
Change in decision
The collegium had initially recommended Justice Kureshi as the chief justice of Madhya Pradesh HC but the Centre objected, following which he was recommended him for Tripura High Court.