Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi (SHP)
New Delhi, Feb 27: In a shocking turn of events, Justice S Muralidhar of Delhi High Court has been served transfer notice moments after he reprimanded the centre, the state government and the Delhi Police over the violence in the capital that left 28 dead and over 200 injured. The transfer was issued at 11 pm on late Wednesday by the central government about two weeks after it was recommended by the Supreme Court collegium on February 12.
The third highest judge of Delhi High Court has been transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
"In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 222 of the Constitution of India, the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, is pleased to transfer Shri Justice S Muralidhar, Judge of the Delhi High Court, as a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and to direct him to assume charge of his office in the Punjab and Haryana High Court," the government notification read.
Although, the transfer notification issued by the government does not give any time-frame for when he should join the Punjab and Haryana High Court it usually requires 14 days to join the new court.
The Delhi High Court Bar Association had last week condemned the transfer and exerted pressure on the Supreme Court collegium to recall the move.
Earlier on Wednesday, Justice Muralidhar had said, "We cannot let another 1984-like event happen in this country" and asked the government - at the centre and in Delhi - to work together to combat unrelenting violence that hit parts of the national capital for a fourth consecutive day.
The comment came in a tense hearing during which videos of hate speeches by four BJP leaders - Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Abhay Verma and Parvesh Verma - were played. The hearing was on a petition seeking First Information Reports (FIRs) against those who incited and participated in the violence in northeast Delhi.
The judge had even raised questions on why there was a delay in filing an FIR against the BJP leaders. He further warned the Delhi Police of seriously considering the consequences of not registering the FIR.
Defending the delay of filing the FIR, the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who is representing the centre, argued that the FIRs would be registered at an 'appropriate time'. Firing back at Mehta, Justice Muralidhar said, "What's the appropriate time, Mr Mehta? The city is burning".
The judge had asked the police to appear on Thursday with a status report. The case is now listed before the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, Justice Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel.