Published 21:39 IST, September 12th 2019
SC: Madras HC CJ Tahilramani's transfer was made for 'cogent reasons'
Amid the ongoing protests by advocates over transfer of Madras HC Chief Justice Vijaya K Tahilramani, the SC issued a statement justifying the decision.
Amid the ongoing protests by advocates over the transfer of Madras High Court Chief Justice Vijaya K Tahilramani, the Supreme Court on Thursday issued a statement justifying the decision. In the statement, the Supreme Court stated that the transfers were made for "cogent reasons after complying with the required procedure in the interest of better administration of justice".
The Secretary-General of the top court added in the statement that the Collegium will not hesitate in disclosing the reasons behind such transfers. The court also added that the recommendations were made after full and complete deliberations and the same was unanimously agreed upon by the Collegium.
Read the full statement by SC here:
Madras HC lawyers protest
This statement by the Supreme Court has come in the aftermath of several protests by led Madras High Court lawyers in the past three days against the transfer of Chief Justice Vijaya K Tahilramani from Madras High Court to Meghalaya High Court. On Thursday, 2,000 advocates in Latur district of Maharashtra also said that they will boycott court proceedings on Friday to protest the transfer. Madras High Court Chief Justice Vijay K Tahilaramani had recently tendered her resignation after the SC Collegium rejected her request to withdraw its decision to transfer her to Meghalaya High Court which sparked a controversy.
On August 28, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended the transfer of Justice Tahilramani to Meghalaya High Court. Meanwhile, her resignation is yet to be accepted or rejected by the court. Justice Tahilramani has not returned to Madras High Court after sending her resignation to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, and the Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi.
Earlier the collegium headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi had maintained that transfer of CJs is a regular proceeding. However, the bar council members, protesting her transfer, have been claiming that the manner in which it was done is not transparent. They have also claimed that there was no need to transfer Tahilramani from the Madras High Court where she has been on top of the Chief Justice list seniority wise.
Updated 22:42 IST, September 12th 2019