SC fines advocate Rs 5 lakh for bid to stop elevation of Telangana HC registrar to judge

The Supreme Court has imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on an advocate for abusing the court proceedings to stop the elevation of a registrar general to a judge to the High Court.

"The process of appointment of judges to the High Court is under a well known established process where the Collegium of the High Court considers recommending the names and in case of judicial officers by seniority and on merits," a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M M Sundresh said.

The court dismissed a plea by advocate B Sailesh Saxena seeking directions to consider the representation submitted by him and take necessary action with the proposal of appointment of High Court Registrar General A Venkateswar Reddy as a judge of the Telangana High Court.

The three-member Supreme Court Collegium in a meeting held on August 17 had approved the proposal for elevation of six judicial officers as judges of the Telangana High Court including Reddy.

Saxena made several allegations against the Registrar General and stated that his name should not be processed for elevation as a judge.

The petitioner-advocate claimed that he was a legal advisor for the family of an MP belonging to the Telugu Desam Party and legal counsel for other politically connected persons. He alleged that an FIR at the insistence of the Registrar was filed on July 31, 2017 in pursuance of a direction issued by the High Court with a view to harass him.

The bench said the registrar general, as a responsible officer, only followed the direction passed by the High Court.

The court found the writ petition as thoroughly misconceived and an abuse of process of law and a counterblast to the series of criminal complaints in which persons belonging to the 'so-called noble profession got involved'.

“We are surprised as the brazenness of the petitioner...This is gross abuse of process," the court said, ordering the petitioner to deposit Rs 5 lakh cost with the Supreme Court Advocates On Record Welfare Fund within four weeks. The court also asked the Bar Council of Telangana to examine the conduct of the petitioner.