Supreme Court sticks to Justice Rajiv Shakdher transfer

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court collegium is learnt to have stood by its decision to transfer Delhi HC judge Rajiv Shakdher after the law ministry sent back his case for reconsideration, said several persons aware of the outcome. The law ministry had asked for a review after lawyers protested against Shakdher’s transfer. The law ministry has to abide by the collegium’s decision.

Shakdher was transferred last month along with three other judges--Valmiki Mehta of the Delhi High Court and R Sudhakar and CS Karnan of the Madras High Court.

Shakdher was transferred to the Madras High Court, Mehta to the Gujarat High Court, Sudhakar to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court and Karnan to the Calcutta High Court. Two Delhi HC judges had been transferred before this--Suresh Kait to the Andhra Pradesh HC and VP Vaish to the Meghalaya High Court.

Karnan, a controversial figure who had initially refused to accept his transfer and initiated judicial action against the chief justice of India and the collegium, has since tendered an apology and joined the Calcutta High Court.

Five senior lawyers had objected in writing to the chief justice of India against the transfer of Shakdher, who they described as an honest and outstanding judge. They objected to his being transferred along with Karnan, whose case was regarded in a different light.