Chidambaram hit out at Centre over SC judges appointment row

New Delhi [India], Apr. 26 (ANI): In a slew of tweets, former finance minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday hit out at the Centre after only one of the judges was appointed as the Supreme Court judge out of the two recommended by the Supreme Court collegium earlier this year.

Chidambaram took to Twitter and wrote, "As the law stands now, the recommendation of the SC collegium is final and binding in the appointment of judges. Is the Modi government above the law?," asked the former finance minister.

The Centre has cleared the name of senior advocate Indu Malhotra for her elevation as a Supreme Court judge and put the appointment of Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K. M. Joseph on hold.

The senior Congress leader questioned the rationale behind the move and asked whether the appointment of Justice Joseph was held back due to his religion.

"What is holding up Justice K M Joseph's appointment? His State or his religion or his judgement in the Uttarakhand case?", Chidambaram asked on Twitter.

In January this year, the Supreme Court collegium had recommended Indu Malhotra's name as the first woman lawyer to be directly appointed as a judge of the apex court.

It had also cleared and recommended the name of Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K. M. Joseph as the top court judge, who has been part of the bench that, in 2016, had quashed the imposition of President's Rule in the state.

However, Chidambaram, in the third tweet, expressed happiness over the appointment of Malhotra as the first woman lawyer to be directly elevated from the Bar and also conveyed disappointment in the holding back of Justice Joseph's name.

"Delighted that Ms Indu Malhotra will be sworn in as Judge of the Supreme Court tomorrow. Disappointed that Justice K M Joseph's appointment is still on hold," he tweeted. (ANI)