Madras HC files plea against Justice Karnan in Apex court

Justice CS Karnan, who was transferred out of Madras to Calcutta high court in 2016 for alleged judicial indiscipline, continues to court controversy.

The Madras high court has lodged a protest in the Supreme Court against Justice Karnan who issued “series of directions” to the Tamil Nadu government and threatened to take up matters on his own if the state does not act in accordance with his orders. The High Court registry said Justice Karnan has no jurisdiction over matters related to Tamil Nadu since he is no longer a judge in that state.

The application submitted Justice Karnan ordered the state government to remove security provided to an advocate in accordance to a HC order. “If judicial order is required, I will give a suo motu judicial order from Calcutta high court in the interest of national welfare,” read the judge’s letter.

In his second communication, Justice Karnan demanded details of expenditure incurred by the government to enable services of CISF to secure the HC building. The paramilitary forces were called in November 2015 after the lawyers protested against the Chief Justice who had then taken over.

Justice Karnan has questioned the legality of the direction that let the CISF take control of security. The HC application also refers to three letters Justice Karnan wrote against the HC Chief Justice, former Supreme Court judge and a retired HC judge.