After strong protests from the Gujarat High Court bar association over the proposed transfer of Justice Nikhil S Kariel, the SC collegium led by CJI D Y Chandrachud held back its week-old informal decision as the judge does not figure among the names recommended for transfers.
In the first meeting under new CJI Chandrachud, the collegium also comprising Justices Sanjay K Kaul, S Abdul Nazeer, K M Joseph and M R Shah had on November 16 decided to transfer both Justice Kariel and Telangana HC’s Justice A Abhishek Reddy to Patna HC. It had sparked protests from both HC bar associations.
Gujarat HC bar leaders had met the CJI and submitted a memorandum terming Justice Kariel as an upright and bright judge and requested reconsideration of the decision. Some other leaders had addressed letters to the CJI.
Sources said after Gujarat bar leaders gave representations against Justice Kariel’s proposed transfer, the CJI decided to consider the representations. “The proposal relating to Justice Kariel’s transfer was not put in the agenda of collegium meeting,” they said.
But the collegium stuck to its earlier decision to transfer Justice T Raja, acting Chief Justice of Madras HC, to Rajasthan HC. It also remained firm on transferring Justice Reddy from Telangana HC to Patna HC despite protests from advocates in the state HC.
Two women judges - Justice V M Velumani of Madras HC and Justice Lalitha Kanneganti of Telangana - were also transferred. Among the seven transferred, five belonged to Telangana and two from Andhra Pradesh.
