CPI(M) terms Justice Muralidhar's transfer 'selective response' to his court orders

The CPI(M) on Thursday said Justice S Muralidhar's transfer from the Delhi High Court was a "selective response" to his court orders in which he rapped the city police for "trying to shield" BJP leaders who made "hate speeches".

The Left party demanded the government keep the transfer order, notified late Wednesday night, in abeyance to reinforce the confidence of the people in the judicial system.

Justice Muralidhar was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, on a day a bench headed by him expressed "anguish" over the Delhi Police's "failure" to register FIRs against the alleged hate speeches made by BJP leaders Parvesh Verma, Kapil Mishra and Anurag Thakur.

The CPI (M) said in a statement that the transfer was recommended by the Supreme Court collegium, but it has been protested against by the Delhi High Court Bar Association for well-argued judicial-administrative considerations.

"Post-haste implementation appears to be a selective response for what unfolded in the Delhi High Court yesterday. The fact remains that the Bench headed by Justice Muralidhar called the bluff of the Delhi police in trying to shield the hate speeches of top BJP leaders in Delhi in the course of the Delhi assembly election and after.

"Politburo of the CPI(M) urges the Government that in these times of acute confidence deficit, the transfer order must be kept in abeyance to reinforce the confidence of the people in the judicial system of the country," it said.