Summary:
Jodhpur, Mar 5 (PTI) The outgoing chief justice of the Rajasthan High Court, Justice Akil Abdulhamid Kureshi, on Saturday said the government’s negative perception about him is a certificate of his judicial independence.
Justice Kureshi made the remark referring to some observations made by a former chief justice of India in his biography, explaining why the Rajasthan CJ’s recommendations on the appointment of the CJs of the Madhya Pradesh and Tripura high courts were rejected.
Addressing the members of the bar and bench of the Rajasthan High Court on the last day of his office, outgoing Chief Justice Kureshi also expressed surprise over the alleged heavy pruning by the Supreme Court the list of advocates sent by high courts for their appointment as judges.
This will lead to a dearth of bright judicial minds on the bench, he cautioned.
Though Justice Kureshi did not name the former CJI, he apparently referred to former CJI Ranjan Gogoi, whose autobiography released last December, had reportedly mentioned about the much-talked-about transfers of Justice Kureshi, then a judge of the Gujarat High Court and Justice V K Tahilramani, the then CJ of the Madras High Court, amongst others.
“I have not read the biography but going by the media reports, he has made certain disclosures regarding changing of my recommendations for the CJs of MP and Tripura.