Justice CS Karnan of the Madras High Court shifted to Calcutta High Court
New Delhi: Justice C.S. Karnan of the Madras high court, who created a judicial history by staying his transfer recommended by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur has finally been shifted as a judge of the Calcutta high court by a presidential order which asked him to join on or before March 11.
Justice Karnan, who received the recommendation from the CJI on February 12, by a suo moto order stayed his transfer on February 15. On a petition from the registrar-general of the Madras high court on the same day the Supreme Court stepped in and stayed all judicial orders passed by Justice Karnan after February 12. The top court asked the Chief Justice of Madras HC not to give him any work.
Justice Karnan has been in the news for the last two years for passing various controversial orders against companion judges and the high court Chief Justice threatening him of initiating contempt action and also to initiate action under the SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act.
Earlier in his suo moto order, Justice Karnan referred to the communication of the transfer and said “it is beyond my comprehension to discern your lordship’s comment on better administration and would suggest that your lordship to refer to the nine-judge bench of the apex court delivered in 1993 and your lordship’s proposal of transfer goes against this judgment. Your lordship’s order is indicative of being an administrative order. Iin order to maintain the sanctity of the judgment cited above, I am apt to constrain your lordship’s order by staying the tentative recommendation dated February 12.
Last week he rushed to Delhi and met the CJI and repented for his action and sought time to join in Calcutta HC. The CJI was understood to have admonished him for his actions. Thereafter he wrote a letter on February 23 expressing regret for staying the recommendation for transfer. With the CJI and the collegium firm on his transfer, the President Pranab Mukherjee signed the transfer order and notification was issued on Friday giving him time till March 11 to join.
