Garg goes to Assam, Dinakaran in soup

by Rakesh Bhatnagar / DNA
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 0:30


New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh high court judge Ramesh Surajmal Garg has been made chief justice of Guwahati high court. But there’s a catch. Garg, 62, is slated to retire on June 18.

Garg’s appointment, though for a very short period, has removed doubts over controversial chief justice of Karnataka high court PD Dinakaran being sent to Sikkim high court.

It’s a very complex link. Delhi high court’s senior most judge Madan Lokur has been sent to Sikkim high court as chief justice. Lokur was chosen following Sikkim HC lawyers’ opposition to work under Dinakaran. Sikkim is no dump yard for corrupt judges, the lawyers had said.

Garg’s appointment confirms that Lokur will not be appointed as Guwahati high court chief justice anytime in future. This, in turn, will mean Dinakaran won’t go to Sikkim. The controversial chief justice has been under fire for the past several months.

Dinakaran, who is facing a constitutional probe under the Judges Inquiry Act, has turned a deaf ear to the advice given by Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan to proceed on leave. Balakrishnan heads the five-judge collegium looking into the Dinakaran case.

Later, the collegium transferred the judge to Sikkim, disregarding the serious concerns unanimously expressed by the Sikkim High Court Bar Association that the state can’t be used as a dumping ground for unwanted or inconvenient judiciary.

Dinakaran’s fate hangs in the balance until the inquiry finds him innocent of all the grave allegations relating to corruption, misconduct and land grab.

Speaking to DNA from Gangtok, bar association vice-president Narender Rai said, “We are happy with our newly appointed CJ.” Bar association leaders had met president Pratibha Patil during her visit to the state. “She had assured that concerns over transfer of Dinakaran would be considered,” Rai said.

He said governor BP Singh also assured that he would draw the attention of PMO towards the resolution passed by the bar that has threatened boycott of Dinakaran’s court, in case he was posted in Sikkim.

source;dnaindia.com