Row over CJ's appointment takes new turn

The controversy over the appointment of the next Chief Justice of India took a new turn yesterday, with the Supreme Court Bar Association general body opposing the three-member inquiry committee against Justice M M Punchhi.

Passing a resolution to this effect, the meeting said such a committee -- set up by Chief Justice J S Verma -- was not contemplated under the Constitution and it has no jurisdiction to probe the allegations against Justice Punchhi.

As the senior-most Supreme Court judge, Justice Punchhi was expected to succeed Justice Verma. His appointment, however, was opposed by a section the lawyers who levelled serious allegations against the judge.

As the credibility of the judiciary would be affected, the only appropriate action at this stage is to leave the matter to Parliament, the resolution said.

The meeting also resolved that the association office-bearers should meet the President and the prime minister and request them to evolve a statutory mechanism by which allegations made against a senior judge could be dealt with through the provisions of the Constitution.

While evolving and enforcing such a mechanism, the government should consult high constitutional functionaries and experts in the legal profession, it said.

The resolution was, however, opposed by ten members, including senior counsel Fali S Nariman and Lata Krishnamurthy.

A judge charged with corruption should not feel sorry of facing an inquiry by an in-house committee, they said.

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