Decision to transfer Justice Muralidhar was taken on Feb 12 with his consent

New Delhi, Feb 27: The Congress has attacked the Centre over the transfer of Delhi High Court judge, Justice Muralidhar to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The judge was hearing the Delhi violence case and the late evening notification came on the day when a bench headed by him expressed "anguish" over the Delhi Police's failure to register FIRs against alleged hate speeches by three BJP leaders.

While the case was heard on Wednesday, February 26, the decision to transfer him was taken by the Collegium of the Supreme Court on February 12. The Collegium on the same day also recommended the transfer of V Ranjit More from Bombay to Meghalaya and Justice Ravi Malimath from the Karnataka High Court to Uttarakhand.

Transfer of Hon'ble Justice Muralidhar was done pursuant to the recommendation dated 12.02.2020 of the Supreme Court collegium headed by Chief Justice of India. While transferring the judge consent of the judge is taken. The well settled process have been followed, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a tweet.

He also said that by politicising a routine transfer, Congress has yet again displayed its scant regard for the judiciary. People of India have rejected Congress Party and hence it is hell bent on destroying the very institutions India cherishes by constantly attacking them.

We respect independence of judiciary. Record of Congress in compromising independence of judiciary, superseding judges even of Supreme Court during Emergency is well known.They rejoice only when the judgment is of their liking otherwise raise questions on the institutions itself, Prasad also said.

Congress leader, Priyanka Gandhi on the other hand said that the midnight transfer of Justice Muralidhar isn't shocking given the current dispensation, but it is certainly sad & shameful. "Millions of Indians have faith in a resilient & upright judiciary, the government's attempts to muzzle justice & break their faith are deplorable," she said.