Justice Dipak Misra to be the next CJI
NEW DELHI : Justice Dipak Misra, the senior most judge in the Supreme Court, will be the 45th Chief Justice of India, succeeding incumbent J S Khehar. An official notification announcing Misra’s appointment was issued by the law ministry on Tuesday. Justice Misra, who will have a tenure of over 13 months as the CJI after he takes over on August 28, has a sensitive assignment on hand -the vexatious title dispute in the Ram Mandir and Babri Masjid case.
NEW DELHI: The law ministry on Tuesday issued a notification appointing Justice Dipak Misra as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI). He will assume office on August 28.
The President cleared Justice Misra’s name as the 45th CJI, replacing Justice JS Khehar who will retire on August 27. Justice Khehar had written to the Centre last month recommending Justice Misra’s name.
The 63-year-old is the senior most judge at the top court after the CJI and part of the five-member collegium that makes appointments to the higher judiciary. He was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2011 after having served as the chief justice in the Patna and Delhi high courts.
He was part of the bench that upheld the death sentence awarded to the accused in the infamous December 16, 2012, Delhi gang-rape case.
MP TO CHALLENGE
Meanwhile Punjab MP Harinder Singh Khalsa said on Tuesday that he will legally challenge the appointment “in view of the allegations of corruption against him.” “The petition in Delhi High Court will seek a declaration that honourable justice Dipak Misra is disqualified to be appointed as next CJI in view of the allegations of corruption against him,” Khalsa said.
“Is there dearth of senior judges with clear background? Why can’t the norm of seniority be overlooked even when there are serious moral charges? The CJI is not just any other judge. He is the face of India’s judiciary,” Khalsa said.
The petition is being filed by advocates Mathew J Nedumpara and AC Phillip, who are part of the legal activism collective National Lawyers’ Campaign for Judicial Reforms and Transparency. “The petition says that Hon Justice Dipak Misra is under a cloud and hence the government shall not appoint him as the next Chief Justice of India merely (by) acting upon the recommendation of the outgoing CJI, that too without any enquiry or proceedings,” Nedumpara said. According to Khalsa, the allegations against Misra are in public domain.