Justice C.S. Karnan of the Madras High Court, who told a court that the selection of persons for High Court Judges’ post is “not fair,” has now sent a complaint to the Commission for Scheduled Castes, New Delhi, against Chief Justice R.K. Agrawal.
Citing an instance, the Judge alleged that the Chief Justice had displayed “a form of discrimination without any reason.” He sought a speedy inquiry into the complaint.
He has marked copies of the complaint among others to the President, Prime Minister, Union Home and Law Ministers, MPs Mayawati and Ram Vilas Pawan.
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The present complaint comes in the light of reports that the Chief Justice had written to the Chief Justice of India about Justice Karnan’s acts unbecoming of the conduct of a Judge. The Chief Justice had also sought the Judge’s transfer.
This is the second time in the last two years that the Judge is seeking the intervention of the Commission.
In November 2011, he complained that he was “harassed” by some other Judges as he was a Dalit.
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He had added that some former Judges of the court too faced similar problems during their tenure.
In the complaint dated January 6, 2014 and released to the press on Thursday, the Judge said that in February last year, he was allotted the portfolio of Karur district.
He had taken all efforts for the opening of the Combined Court Buildings at Kulithalai on June 8 last year.
Four days prior to the inauguration, the Chief Justice changed his portfolio district as Sivaganga, “jeopardising all my efforts to organise and bring to fruition the inauguration” of the Combined Court Building at Kulithalai. As such, His Lordship, R.K. Agrawal has prevented me from any active role at Kulithalai district and displaying a form of discrimination without assigning any reason.”
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, a special enactment, was applicable to a person who intentionally insulted or intimidated by behaviour an SC or ST in any place in public view, he said.