The sudden transfer of Andhra Pradesh high court chief justice J K Maheshwari, supposedly to Sikkim, has become the talk of the town in legal and political circles now.
It has been just around 14 months since Justice Maheshwari took over as the chief justice of Andhra high court. Generally, one would expect that a chief justice would continue in the post at least for a period of three years, unless he completes the period of superannuation.
So, it is nothing but natural that the abrupt transfer of Justice Maheshwari has raised many an eyebrow and led to a hush talk in the legal fraternity.
His sudden transfer is now being linked to the letter written by chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to Chief Justice of India S A Bobde in October last.
In the letter, Jagan made certain allegations the judges of state high court, including Justice Maheshwari, stating that they were acting at the direction of Supreme Court judge N V Ramana.
Jagan was upset with a series of judgements given by Maheshwari against the YSR Congress party government in the state.
Reports from New Delhi indicated that a couple of high court judges mentioned in Jagan’s letter might also be shifted to other states, while another senior judge Justice Rakesh Kumar would be retiring by December end.
This has given rise to the talk that Jagan’s letter to the CJI has had its impact on the top judiciary.
Interestingly, the five-member collegium of Supreme Court judges which made the recommendations for the transfer of Maheshwari and others also includes Justice Ramana, against whom Jagan made wild allegations.
So, why would Justice Ramana, who is the second most senior judge in Supreme Court agree for Justice Maheshwari’s transfer?
Apparently, the CJI convinced him and others in the collegium that the transfer of the Andhra CJ would clear the apprehensions among the people, if any, that he had given judgements against the Jagan government under directions of Ramana.
If new incumbent Justice Arup Kumar Singh also gives any negative judgements against the Jagan government, there is no way he, too, can be branded as Justice Ramana’s man!
