<p>Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has asked the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra to consider whether the Collegium should not withhold its recommendation to elevate a judge accused of sexual harassment to the Karnataka High Court until his innocence is proved by a "fair and judicious enquiry" by a lady judge.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In a three-page letter, the minister asked the CJI to consider if a discreet enquiry, even if it is by the Chief Justice of the High Court, was "fair, sufficient and conclusive" in a matter so sensitive as sexual harassment without adhering to the norms laid down by the apex court in the Vishakha judgement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prasad's letter comes days after the apex court's seniormost judge, Justice J Chelameswar, wrote to the judges of the Supreme Court alleging that the government has stalled P Krishna Bhat's elevation made by the Collegium on August 23, 2016.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The apex court judge had pointed out a discreet probe by the Karnataka High Court had absolved him of the charges of sexual harassment, levelled by a junior woman judicial officer.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The letter, written last week, said the records do not indicate that the complainant was "provided any chance to present her case and whether a lady judge of the (Karnataka) high court or a senior lady judicial officer conducted the enquiry".</p>
<p>Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has asked the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra to consider whether the Collegium should not withhold its recommendation to elevate a judge accused of sexual harassment to the Karnataka High Court until his innocence is proved by a "fair and judicious enquiry" by a lady judge.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In a three-page letter, the minister asked the CJI to consider if a discreet enquiry, even if it is by the Chief Justice of the High Court, was "fair, sufficient and conclusive" in a matter so sensitive as sexual harassment without adhering to the norms laid down by the apex court in the Vishakha judgement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prasad's letter comes days after the apex court's seniormost judge, Justice J Chelameswar, wrote to the judges of the Supreme Court alleging that the government has stalled P Krishna Bhat's elevation made by the Collegium on August 23, 2016.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The apex court judge had pointed out a discreet probe by the Karnataka High Court had absolved him of the charges of sexual harassment, levelled by a junior woman judicial officer.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The letter, written last week, said the records do not indicate that the complainant was "provided any chance to present her case and whether a lady judge of the (Karnataka) high court or a senior lady judicial officer conducted the enquiry".</p>
