SC stays HC order rebuking AP govt

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed an order of the Andhra Pradesh high court to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against a government official who had filed an affidavit supporting an application seeking the recusal of justice Rakesh Kumar from a division bench after the judge questioned the legality of the move of the state government to auction public land to private bidders, according to Livelaw report. A bench headed by CJI SA Bobde also issued notice on the special leave petitions filed by the Andhra Pradesh government against the December 30 order of the high court. The contempt proceeding was initiated by a division bench headed by justice Kumar while taking strong exception to the application filed by Mission of AP special officer Praveen Kumar seeking his recusal from hearing petitions challenging auction of government plots on ground that he was biased.