Orissa HC additional judge sent back to lower court

In an unusual move, an additional judge of the Orissa High Court has been relegated as a judge of a lower court.

The full bench of the Orissa High Court has decided to send LK Mishra back to his parent cadre and appoint him as Kalahandi district judge at the end of his two-year tenure as an additional judge of the High Court.

"Since no recommendation for his (Mishra's) appointment as permanent judge of the High Court or any communique for extension of his tenure as additional judge was received after completion of his tenure (which ended on January 16), the full bench decided to send him back to his original cadre," Acting chief justice of Orissa justice IM Quddusi told PTI.

He, however, refused to comment on why Mishra's name was not recommended for appointment as a permanent judge of the high court.

Justice Quddusi said that Mishra could be again elevated to the bench as an additional judge if his name is recommended for the post. Sources in the Union law ministry in Delhi said an additional judge can be reverted back to the state judicial service cadre if his or her services are not confirmed.

Mishra, along with justice BK Patel, was appointed as additional judge of the high court on January 17, 2008 for a tenure of two years.

On January 14, justice Patel was sworn-in as a permanent judge of the High Court after his warrant of appointment was received from the president of India.

However, no communique of appointment or extension was received with regard to Mishra.