SC stays order threatening contempt case against CJ

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed an order passed by a Madras High Court judge threatening high court chief justice of contempt proceedings, if he tried to stall the process of appointment of civil judges.

A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice of India H L Dattu restrained Justice C S Karnan from hearing suo motu proceedings which he started in the case of appointment of junior judges in district courts.

The bench, also comprising Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy, said, “We stay the order passed on April 13 in suo motu proceedings.”

The court, while admitting the appeal by the HC Registry, indicated the CJI may take up the matter with the HC chief justice regarding a plea made by senior advocate K K Venugopal that all judicial work should be withdrawn from Justice Karnan since his acts has repeatedly brought the “institution to disrepute.”

Justice had created a flutter while issuing two letters to HC CJ Sanjay Kishan Kaul threatening contempt of court proceedings against the Chief Justice. He said he would ask the National Human Rights Commission to initiate proceedings against him under the SC/ST Atrocities (prevention) Act.