The Supreme Court collegium has stuck to its recommendation to shift Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran as Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court. He will perform judicial work there.
Justice Dinakaran has not been performing judicial functions since December last after the appointment of a committee headed by Justice V.S. Sirpurkar to go into the charges of land-grab and corruption against him.
After the recommendation was first decided by the collegium on April 8, there was speculation that Justice Dinakaran himself would go on leave or would be shifted to some other High Court as Justice Barin Ghosh had assumed charge as Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court on April 13. The local Bar association had also voiced its protest over the transfer of Justice Dinakaran to the Sikkim High Court.
Highly placed sources told The Hindu that the possibility of transferring Justice Dinakaran to the Uttarakhand High Court was also considered but finally the collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan, stuck to its earlier decision and sent the recommendation to the Law Ministry two days ago. Justice Ghosh is now being shifted as Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court.
In other transfers, Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice J.S. Khehar will replace Justice Dinakaran in the Karnataka High Court. Patna High Court Chief Justice Deepak Misra is being transferred to the Delhi High Court and Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Mohit S. Shah to the Bombay High Court, in the place of Justice A.R. Dave, who has been elevated to the Supreme Court. Justice J.N. Patel, seniormost judge of the Bombay High Court, is being appointed Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.
Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Kurian Joseph is being shifted to the Jharkhand High Court to succeed Justice Gyan Sudha Misra, who has been promoted to the Supreme Court. The seniormost judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Justice T. Meenakumari, is being recommended for elevation as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. Justice Rekha Manharlal Doshit, seniormost judge of the Gujarat High Court, has been recommended for appointment as Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. Thus there will be two women High Court Chief Justices.
Justice M.Y. Eqbal, seniormost judge of the Jharkhand High court is being recommended for appointment as Chief Justice of the Madras High Court to succeed Justice H.L. Gokhale, elevated to the Supreme Court.
Justice F.I. Rebello of the Bombay High Court is being sent to the Allahabad High Court as its Chief Justice. The acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Justice Madan M. Lokur, will be sent to the Gauhati High Court as Chief Justice after the incumbent, Justice R.S. Garg, retires in June.
