New Delhi: An inquiry committee, constituted by the Chief Justice of India to look into allegations of impropriety in medical college admission, has held Allahabad High Court judge SN Shukla guilty of the charges and said he "disgraced the values of judicial life".
The in-house panel, comprising three high court judges, recommended the removal of Justice Shukla saying that he acted in a manner unbecoming of a judge and lowered the majesty, credibility of his office.
CJI Dipak Misra, accepting the recommendation of the committee, asked Justice Shukla to either resign or opt for voluntary retirement. The judge, though, refuted all charges and turned down the suggestion.
According to sources, the CJI has since advised the High Court chief justice to consider withdrawing all judicial work from Justice Shukla.
Since a high court judge can be removed only by Parliament, Justice Misra is expected to write to the Prime Minister and the President, recommending his removal.
Under Article 217 of the Constitution, an HC judge can be removed by an order of the President passed after both Houses of Parliament vote for the removal on grounds of proven "misbehaviour" and "incapacity". This vote must be by a two-thirds majority.
The voting takes place after the Rajya Sabha Chairperson sets up a three-piece inquiry panel, which will find out if the charges are true and grave enough to warrant removal of the judge.
Justice Shukla was under scanner for allegedly giving the nod to a medical college to admit students despite the Supreme Court's disapproval and a restating against any other court to do so.
In a similar case, former Orissa HC judge IM Qudussi has also been booked by the CBI over allegations of fixing a case in the apex court. The CJI has to now take a call on giving a go-ahead to the investigative agency to probe Justice Shukla as well.
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