New Delhi: The recommendation to transfer Uttarakhand Chief Justice K.M. Joseph as Chief Justice of Hyderabad High Court has nothing to do with his recent judgment quashing President's Rule in the state.
According to highly-placed sources in the collegium headed by the Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur, the transfer was done on his request due to health reasons.
The transfer will also enable him for being considered for elevation as a Judge of the Supreme Court as and when such consideration takes place.
Sources said Hyderabad High Court was considered as ideal for Justice Joseph as it was nearer to his own home state of Kerala and that he can take a direct flight to his home state, whereas, while being in Uttarakhand he had to come to Delhi from where he has to catch a flight to Kerala. There are no direct flights from Uttarakhand to Kerala.
Besides the CJI, other members in the collegium are four senior-most Judges, Anil R. Dave, J.S. Khehar, Dipak Misra and J. Chelameswar. The transfer or elevation is being considered by this body and the Union government had nothing to do with such considerations, sources clarified, rejecting reports to the contrary.
