UPA Government made collegium to recommend judge extension: Prasad

The Supreme Court collegium was initially hesitant to recommend extension of a Madras High Court judge who was under corruption cloud but did so later after a nudge from the UPA government, law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad revealed in Parliament amid furore created by AIADMK members for the second day on Tuesday. Prasad said in 2003, the collegium had ‘certain reservations’ and had made some enquiries and decided that the case of this judge should not be taken up.

But later during the UPA rule, a clarification was sought by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) as to why he should not be recommended, the minister said in the Lok Sabha. The collegium again said he should not have been recommended at all, he said.