'PMO had written to collegium about judge's extension'

The government told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s office had sought a “clarification” in June 2005 from the Supreme Court (SC) collegium as to why it did not approve the confirmation of the appointment of an additional judge to the Madras High Court.

Amid uproar by AIADMK MPs, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad virtually lent credence to the allegation by former SC judge and the present chairman of the Press Council of India, Markandey Katju.

Prasad told the House that the collegium reconsidered the case after the prime minister’s office (PMO) sought the clarification, but remained firm on its earlier decision of not recommending permanent appointment to the judge.

The collegium changed its decision after receiving another note dated July 16, 2005, from the Ministry of Law and Justice “indicating certain sensitivity”. The judge then got an extension and a permanent appointment, he said.

“There is an imperative need to improve the system of appointment of honourable judges,” the law minister said. The new government was keen on putting in place the National Judicial Commission to appoint judges, he added.

Congress MPs protested against raising the issue in the Lok Sabha, while AIADMK members trooped into the Well of the House, demanding that the government make public the name of the DMK minister who lobbied for the judge. As the ruckus continued, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan was forced to adjourn the House.

Katju recently alleged that three former chief justices of India had made “improper compromises” under pressure from the then UPA government and allowed the judge to continue in office in the Madras High Court in spite of an adverse report from the Intelligence Bureau.

He alleged that the judge was given an extension in 2004-05 at the behest of the UPA government, which acted under pressure from “a Tamil Nadu party”.