Judge threatens Madras HC CJ with contempt

Controversial Madras High Court Judge C S Karnan has triggered a fresh row by threatening to file contempt of court proceedings against High Court Chief Justice Sanjay K Kaul.
He has also threatened to file a case against him under the provisions of the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act
In two separate unsigned letters sent to Chief Justice Kaul, Justice Karnan threatened contempt of court proceedings against the Chief Justice and said he will ask the National Human Rights Commission to initiate proceedings against him under the SC/ST Atrocities (prevention) Act.
Justice Karnan also stated in the letter that he was suo motu staying the administrative order of the Chief Justice with regard to selection of civil judges. In the letter dated April 16, he also found fault with the judges appointed by the Chief Justice.

On April 30, Justice Karnan again sent an unsigned letter to the Chief Justice stating that he will initiate contempt proceedings against the Chief Justice and proceed with proceedings under the ST/SC Atrocities Act.
The Madras High Court registry has now moved the Supreme Court seeking stay of the order passed by Justice Karnan.

The petition is listed for hearing tomorrow before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India H L Dattu.
In November 2011, Justice Karnan had created a flutter by alleging that fellow judges had humiliated him. He said Dalit judges were targeted and their reputation tarnished whenever they asserted their self-respect.

Justice Karnan had in January last year created a stir when he commented against the high court collegium over the selection of judges.
He had entered a court hall, where a division bench was hearing a PIL questioning the process adopted for selection of 12 judges for the High Court, and said that the process was not fair.
In 2013, he had passed a ruling which had said that if a couple in the right legal age indulge in sexual gratification, it will be considered a valid marriage and they could be termed as husband and wife.
"..If any couple choose to consummate their sexual cravings, then that act becomes a total commitment with adherence to all consequences that may follow, except on certain exceptional considerations," Justice Karnan had said in his order.