<p>The first circular that was quashed by a division bench, comprising Justice N Kumar and Justice Srinivasagowda yesterday, concerned the Chief Justice's power to hear cases filed by employees of High Court and judicial officers against his administrative decisions.<br /><br />The second circular that was struck down related to the sitting Chief Justice's jurisdiction in deciding which circuit bench should hear a particular case.</p>.<p>The judgement paves the way for litigants in North Karnataka to approach the principal bench directly, which they could not do earlier.<br /><br />According to the first circular, cases by court employees and judicial officers challenging the Chief Jutice's orders were posted to hall one, where the CJ sits.<br /><br />Allowing a petition filed by M S Poojari, a peon in the High Court, the court said the circular cleared the way for CJ to be a judge in a case where he is also the litigant. However, no one can simultaneously be a litigant and a judge, it said.<br /><br />The bench also overturned a third circular which had ordered the court registry to list all interlocutory applications) as miscellaneous petitions. Justice Dinakaran had issued these circulars on December 29 last.<br /><br />Justice Dinakaran has not been sitting on the bench after land grabbing allegations surfaced against him, over which impeachment proceedings are on in Rajya Sabha. </p>
<p>The first circular that was quashed by a division bench, comprising Justice N Kumar and Justice Srinivasagowda yesterday, concerned the Chief Justice's power to hear cases filed by employees of High Court and judicial officers against his administrative decisions.<br /><br />The second circular that was struck down related to the sitting Chief Justice's jurisdiction in deciding which circuit bench should hear a particular case.</p>.<p>The judgement paves the way for litigants in North Karnataka to approach the principal bench directly, which they could not do earlier.<br /><br />According to the first circular, cases by court employees and judicial officers challenging the Chief Jutice's orders were posted to hall one, where the CJ sits.<br /><br />Allowing a petition filed by M S Poojari, a peon in the High Court, the court said the circular cleared the way for CJ to be a judge in a case where he is also the litigant. However, no one can simultaneously be a litigant and a judge, it said.<br /><br />The bench also overturned a third circular which had ordered the court registry to list all interlocutory applications) as miscellaneous petitions. Justice Dinakaran had issued these circulars on December 29 last.<br /><br />Justice Dinakaran has not been sitting on the bench after land grabbing allegations surfaced against him, over which impeachment proceedings are on in Rajya Sabha. </p>