'No regrets about press conference on CJI': Justice Chelameswar

Justice Chelameswar, who retired as a Supreme Court judge on Friday maintained that he had no regrets over January 12 presser which triggered a nation-wide debate.

The press meet on 12 January, the first in the chequered history of the Supreme Court, had sent waves in the court's corridors and caught the nation by surprise.

"No regrets." He replied when Justice Chelameswar was asked if he had any regrets in his long career. In an exclusive interview with India Today TV, he said what happened at the January 12 press conference was indeed unprecedented.

"Unprecedented events have unprecedented consequences."He also disapproved of the Centre's decision not to elevate Justice K M Joseph to the Supreme Court, terming the action as "not sustainable".

"I wish and pray that he (Joseph, the Uttarakhand Chief Justice) becomes a judge of the Supreme Court. I have not stalled it. I have been repeatedly asking for it. The collegium has unanimously reiterated its recommendation," Chelameswar told news outlets. He termed Justice Joseph as an "outstanding judge" and said he should have been elevated to the apex court and the collegium must reiterate his name to the Centre.

He said "the government should not process the recommendations (for elevation of judges) for months together. That will lead to a situation where appointments are not made, vacancies are not filled. All this will result in more and more pendency."

Justice Jasti Chelameswar the senior most Judge of the Supreme Court after Chief Justice Dipak Misra retired on Friday.

Justice Chelameshwar was elevated as Chief Justice of Guwahati High Court in 2007 and was later transferred to Kerala High Court as Chief Justice in 2010. He became a judge of the Supreme Court in 2011 and he turned 65 on Friday.