Supreme Court Collegium Takes on Government on Justice Manjunath’s Appointment
NEW DELHI : The Supreme Court collegium has reiterated its recommendation to elevate Karnataka High Court judge KL Manjunath as Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, turning down the Centre’s advice to reconsider it, say sources.The Top Court’s decision sets the stage for another round of confrontation between the executive and the judiciary. The Chief Justice of India, R M Lodha had earlier this month criticized the government for dropping former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium’s name from the panel of names suggested by the collegium for appointment as Supreme Court judges.
The latest round of standoff between the two sides arose after the Centre returned the Supreme Court collegium’s recommendation on elevating Justice Manjunath, the senior-most judge of the Karnataka High Court, and sought clarification based on complaints against him from a senior judge of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court Collegium, after examining the complaints, found no merit in them, and reiterated its recommendation to shift Justice Manjunath as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, sources said.With the Top Court collegium standing firm on its position, the Centre now has no option but to appoint Justice Manjunath as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
