Cong accuses BJP of 'politicisation' of judiciary

The Congress Sunday hit out at the BJP for "inaction" on the removal of Allahabad High Court's Justice S N Shukla and "ignoring" collegium's recommendation of elevating justice A A Kureshi as chief justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court, accusing the ruling party of indulging in "politicisation" of the judiciary.

Months after an in-house panel found Allahabad High Court's Justice Shukla guilty of misconduct by an internal probe, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate a motion for his removal.

The Centre also reportedly "ignored" collegium recommendation on Justice Kureshi and named another judge as acting CJ in Madhya Pradesh.

"'Mum' is the word for PM Modi, when it comes to impeachment of J. S N Shukla recommended by SC 18 months ago. Deliberate inaction of BJP government reeks of political favoritism and partisanship aimed at polluting the foundation of judicial impartiality," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted.

"BJP government's collusive laxity in ignoring repeated requests of S.C to impeach J. Shukla & overzealousness to ignore J.A.A.Kureshi from being appointed CJ stinks of politicisation of judiciary with the intent to remote control the temple of justice," he alleged.

On May 10, the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice Gogoi had recommended that Justice A A Kureshi, who is currently the senior most judge from the parent High Court of Gujarat, be appointed as Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court.

While the Collegium's recommendation is pending, the government has reportedly notified that under "the powers conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Justice Ravi Shanker Jha, senior most judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, to perform the duties of the office of Chief Justice of that High Court with effect from 10 June, 2019 consequent upon the retirement of Justice Sanjay Kumar Seth, Chief Justice, Madhya Pradesh High Court".