President elevates tainted judge

It's perhaps President Pratibha Patil's first controversial decision since taking over. On Wednesday, President Patil put her seal of approval on Justice Jagdish Bhalla's promotion as Chief Justice of the Himachal High Court.

The move comes just five months after her predecessor APJ Abdul Kalam refused to do so.

Kalam had returned the file to the government over allegations that Justice Bhalla's family was involved in a land scam worth crores.

NDTV was the first to report the sub divisional magistrate's report in 2005, about Justice Bhalla's wife Renu buying 7,200 sq meters of land in Noida for 5 lakh rupees, when it was worth 7.20 crores.

The Supreme Court collegium, which decides on appointment of judges ignored this and recommended Justice Bhalla for the post of Kerala High Court Chief Justice.

But President Kalam refused to clear this and sent the file back to the government. Bhalla had been officiating as acting Chief Justice of the Chattisgarh High Court till August when the government moved for his promotion again.

Now Bhalla moves to Himachal as Chief Justice, even while senior lawyers are collecting signatures for impeachment proceedings against him. The committee for judicial accountability, which has been demanding Justice Bhalla's removal has already had many political leaders, sign their petition, but they say that impeachment will now be difficult.

Constitutional experts say that President Patil had stated that she will not be a rubber stamp president but they say that this move has proved just the opposite.

As per the experts she could have asserted herself by putting her reservations on paper at least once.

News Source : Samachar