Medical college admission scam: Cong hails CJI for taking 'principled position' in Allahabad HC Judge case

The Congress today lauded CJI Dipak Mishra for taking a "principled position" in the case of Allahabad High Court judge Justice S N Shukla, who has been found guilty of misconduct by an internal probe into a medical college admission scam.

"We certainly congratulate the Chief Justice of India for taking a principled position and it must apply to all cases," party leader Kapil Sibal said.

CJI Dipak Misra has recommended the removal of Shukla as part of an in-house procedure.

Asked about the CPI(M)'s demand that the CJI be impeached in view of concerns raised by four senior judges of the Supreme Court, he said it was a serious matter.

"The Left parties have spoken to us (on the issue). We are talking to other people too. It is a serious matter," he added.

Warning that democracy is at stake, four senior judges of the Supreme Court had on January 12 mounted a virtual revolt against the country's chief justice, raising questions on "selective" case allocation and certain judicial orders, sending shock waves across the judiciary and polity.

The four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court held a press conference to talk about the functioning of the top court saying the situation was "not in order" and many "less than desirable" things have taken place.

Justice Jasti Chelameswar, who was accompanied by Justices Ranjan Gogoi, M B Lokur, and Kurian Joseph at the press conference, said they had met CJI Dipak Misra this morning and "raised issues affecting the institution".

They also referred to a letter that they had written to the CJI expressing concern on certain judicial orders passed by the Supreme Court. According to the four judges, these orders  “adversely affected the overall functioning of the justice delivery system.”