Top court appoints Ranjit Kumar as amicus curiae

The Supreme Court Tuesday appointed senior advocate and former solicitor general Ranjit Kumar as amicus curiae in a suo motu case pertaining to a recent ruling of the Lokpal which held that the anti-corruption ombudsman can entertain complaints against high court judges under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta submitted that the issue involves only a question of law and it was clear from the Lokpal Act itself that there was no jurisdiction for the body to entertain the complaint.

"Only one section of the Lokpal Act needs to be examined," Mehta argued. The solicitor general further apprised the bench that the Lokpal has also filed its affidavit before the Supreme Court, which he submitted, was a "reiteration of the order".


A special three-judge bench headed by Justice BR Gavai also made it clear that it will go only into the question of jurisdiction and not the merits of the allegations against the judge. The bench posted the matter for April 15.