KARNATAKA HC JUDGE RESIGNS OVER TRANSFER TO ALLAHABAD

Justice Jayant Patel of the Karnataka high court has resigned in protest against the Supreme Court collegium’s move to transfer him out of the state to Allahabad high court.

The second judge in seniority after the Chief Justice in Karnataka, Justice Patel had ordered a CBI probe into the Ishrat Jehan encounter case as a judge of the Gujarat high court, putting the Gujarat police officers under judicial scrutiny for the alleged murder. The state police had accused Jehan of being an LeT operator who hatched a conspiracy to kill Narendra Modi, the then Gujarat chief minister.

Justice Patel was tipped to be the acting chief justice of Karnataka high court after the retirement of Chief Justice SK Mukherjee on October 9. However, the top court collegium’s proposal to move him to Allahabad will bring him down in seniority. If moved , Justice Patel wil become the third senior-most judge there.

The judge has sent his resignation to t he Union law ministry and the Chief Justice of India. But as per the procedure, the President of India has to accept or reject the resignation. It is not known whether his letter has been forwarded to the President.

Justice Patel confirmed to HT about his resignation. “I have resigned and put in my papers on Monday . The Chief Justice of India has written to me seeking my consent to be transferred to Allahabad high court . However, I chose to resign,” he said.

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