Madras High Court judge Justice C.S. Karnan on Tuesday met the Chief Justice of India, a day after the Supreme Court authorised a freeze on his functions as a judge for ‘staying’ his own transfer to Kolkata.
He met Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur in the evening after the Supreme Court rose after the day’s work.
The development came 24 hours after the Supreme Court stepped in to check Justice Karnan, who on Monday passed an unprecedented “suo motu judicial order staying” the Chief Justice of India’s recommendation to transfer him.
Justice Karnan proceeded to ask the CJI to file, through his subordinates, a “written statement” by April 29 to explain the reasons for the transfer.
The judge then asked the CJI not to “interfere in my jurisdiction, as I am in the process of finalising an order on merits.”
Acting on the urgent plea by the Madras High Court Registrar-General to restrain Justice Karnan from passing any suo motu orders, a Bench, led by Justice J.S. Khehar, stayed all administrative or judicial orders passed by him post-February 12 — the date of his transfer recommendation.
