HC directs to place appointment petition before Chief Justice

Allahabad, Aug 20 (UNI) A bench of Allahabad High Court today directed that a writ petition challenging the recent appointment of a sitting Judge of the High Court, Justice Satish Chandra, be placed before the Chief Justice.

A division bench comprising Justices Yatindra Singh and S K Gupta pronounced the decision on a writ petition filed by a High Court lawyer M C Gupta.

The petitioner has requested the Court to issue a writ of quo-warranto directing Justice Satish Chandra to show the authority of his office and to justify the constitutionality of his appointment, as a High Court Judge.

The petitioner has requested the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court not to allot any judicial work to Mr Chandra till the decision is made to this effect.

Justice Satish Chandra was appointed as High Court Judge on August 6 this year.

According to the petition, Justice Chandra lacks the basic eligibility and qualification for being a Judge in the High Court.

It has been recalled in the petition that Justice Saitsh Chandra had never practiced as an advocate in any High Court for at least ten years or has never held judicial office as a judicial senior subordinate to Allahabad High Court for 10 years or more.

Hence, it was pleaded that the appointment was unconstitutional and void.

UNI VCP PDM RJ BD2125