Why Govt. delaying despite CJI recommending his successor: Congress

The Congress on Sunday came down heavily on the Centre for delaying the notification of the next Chief Justice of India, despite the current incumbent T.S. Thakur, who will retire on January 3rd 2017, recommending his successor Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar.

Speaking to ANI here, Congress leader Manish Tewari asserted that it's been over two weeks now that the current CJI has recommend the name of his successor.

"Why is the government delaying the notification of the next CJI when the current incumbent will retire on the 3rd of January? After all, it's a collegium recommendation and the government going by the Supreme Court judgement, is duty bound to respect the recommendation of the collegium," he added.

However, a body of Supreme Court lawyers have branded Justice J S Khehar, the most likely successor as the CJI, to be unfit for the post.

In a civil writ petition filed in the Supreme Court on Saturday, the lawyers' organisation, National Campaign for Judicial Transparency and Reforms (NCJTR), have stated that Justice J Chelameshwar, who is senior to Justice Khehar, be appointed as the 44th CJI.

The NCJTR's petition before the apex court lays down their disagreement with Justice Khehar's appointment and suggests Justice Chelameshwar as an alternative.

The petition also argues that Khehar is harsh on the smallest of mistakes by lawyers and openly favours high-profile lawyers.