Justice KM Joseph's appointment was cleared by the government after much back and forth
Highlights
- Government notification places Justice KM Joseph below two judges
- The other two judges were recommended after Justice Joseph
- Some judges planning to meet the Chief Justice of India
Several judges of the Supreme Court are upset with the government for altering the seniority of Justice KM Joseph in his appointment notification, which was cleared by the government last week after much back and forth. One of the judges told NDTV that they are planning to meet the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and lodge a complaint about the what they said was the Centre's "interference".
The government notification places Justice Joseph below two Judges - Justices Indira Banerjee and Vineet Saran.
"It is a blatant interference by the Govt," one of the judges told NDTV. "Justice Joseph's name was sent first and reiterated by the Collegium and his name should have been first in the appointment notification. But his name is the third, making him junior to the other two judges."
Justices Indira Banerjee and Vineet Saran were recommended after Justice Joseph, he added.
The elevation of Justice Joseph had triggered a long-drawn face-off between the government and the Supreme Court, which was resolved last week after the top court collegium reiterated its choice.
The Collegium had named Justice Joseph for a slot in January, but the government questioned the choice, citing inadequate representation in the top court from other states, especially Kerala.
The government had denied opposition allegations that Justice Joseph was being targeted for his verdict in 2016 that cancelled President's Rule in Uttarakhand and helped the Congress stay in power.
But after the Collegium reiterated its choice of Justice Joseph, the government accepted it. The three judges -- Justices Indira Banerjee, Vineet Saran and KM Joseph - are expected to take oath on Tuesday.