SK Mukherjee likely to be next U’khand Chief Justice

Karnataka high court Chief Justice SK Mukherjee is likely to replace Uttarakhand high court Chief Justice KM Joseph, who is being shifted.  The recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium relating to these transfers is before the Law Ministry which is likely to take a decision soon, sources said. The transfer of Justice Joseph, who has been in the news recently following the verdict quashing the President’s Rule in Uttarakhand, has been criticised by former Law Minister and Congress leader M Veerappa Moily and former ASG Indira Jaisingh.

“I do not know for what reasons he has been transferred, but if the government has intervened then it will be the most tragic part in the judicial history,” Moily said. “It will make a big dent on the independence of judiciary in the country,” he said. Jaisingh tweeted that “First Justice Shakder who authored the Priya Pillai judgement was transferred, then Justice Joseph who wrote the Uttarakhand judgement.” In another tweet, she said “Was our faith in the judiciary misplaced? Why are judges who write judgements against the government at the Centre being transferred?” Meanwhile, Acting Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh/ Telangana High Court Justice DB Bhonsle has been recommended for the post of Chief Justice of the Allahabad high court.