NEW DELHI: The Centre has tired collegium out on riot ruling judge to give way to the Centre's recalcitrance on another judge who had delivered on unpalatable ruling on the 2020 Delhi riots.
The collegium has recommended Orissa High Court judge, Justice Jaswant Singh, as the chief justice of Tripura, rescinding its earlier recommendation to appoint him Chief Justice of Orissa High Court.
Centre blocks Orissa CJ post
This came after the Centre blocked the Orissa chief justice post, stalling the transfer of incumbent S Muralidhar as Chief Justice of the larger Madras High Court.
Justice Muralidhar had, as a Delhi High Court judge three years ago, nudged police to lodge FIRs on hate speeches by the BJP leaders. A day later, Muralidhar was transferred to Punjab and Haryana High Court. Eventually, he was elevated as Orissa High Court chief justice.
The collegium recommendation on Justice Singh puts Justice Muralidhar's fate in limbo and suggests the top court has taken a step back after several aggressive moves in this battle of supremacy with the Centre over judicial appointments.
Collegium had recommended Justice Muralidhar's transfer and promotion
On September 28, the collegium had recommended the transfer and promotion of Justices Muralidhar and Singh, along with the transfers and promotions of three other High Court judges.
The Centre sat on the transfer of Justice Muralidhar, which means it had to stall also the promotion of Justice Singh while approving three recommendations.
On January 25, the collegium resolution said: "The Supreme Court collegium in its meeting held on January 25, on the reconsideration and in supersession of is earlier recommendation dated 28 September 2022 has recommended elevation of Justice Jaswant Singh, judge of the Orissa High Court, as the chief justice of the Tripura High Court.
