Reconsider appointment of Justice S L Bhayana: Kalam

New Delhi, Feb 20 (UNI) President A P J Abdul Kalam has asked the government to reconsider the confirmation of Justice S L Bhayana as a regular judge of Delhi High Court in view of strictures passed against him for acquitting, when he was a trial judge, Manu Sharma in the Jessica Lall murder case.

''The President has returned with a query the file of Justice Bhayana in the light of the Delhi High Court order'' reversing the acquittal of Manu Sharma, Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman S M Khan confirmed today.

Justice Bhayana was appointed as Additional Judge of Delhi High Court on February 28, 2006 and since then he has been on probation.

His confirmation as a regular Judge of the court had been recommended by a collegium of the High Court and this was endorsed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh before the file was sent to Rashtrapati Bhavan.

This is the second time within a month that Dr Kalam has asked the government to review the appointment of a High Court Judge.

Earlier, taking cognisance of objections by several leading lawyers, the President had sought a review of the appointment of Justice Jagdish Bhalla of the Allahabad High Court as Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court.

The alleged complicity of Justice Bhalla's wife in the Noida land scam had come in the way of his elevation.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan was awaiting the government's response in both the cases.

UNI