S K Mukherjee likely to be next U'khand CJ

Karnataka High Court Chief Justice S K Mukherjee is likely to replace Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K M Joseph, who is being shifted out.
The recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium relating to these transfers is before the Law Ministry which is likely to take a decision soon, sources said.
The transfer of Justice Joseph, who has been in the news recently following the verdict quashing the President's Rule in Uttarakhand, has been criticised by former Law Minister and Congress leader M Veerappa Moily and former ASG Indira Jaisingh.
"I do not know for what reasons he has been transferred, but if the government has intervened then it will be the most tragic part in the judicial history," Moily said.

"It will make a big dent on the independence of judiciary in the country," he said.
Jaisingh tweeted that "First Justice Shakder who authored the Priya Pillai judgement was transferred, then Justice Joseph who wrote the Uttarakhand judgement."

In another tweet, she said "Was our faith in the judiciary misplaced? Why are judges who write judgements against the government at the Centre being transferred?"
Meanwhile, Acting Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh/ Telangana High Court Justice D B Bhonsle has been recommended for the post of Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court in place of Justice D Y Chandrachud, who has been recommended to be a judge of the Supreme Court.

Justice N Kumar, a senior judge of the Karnataka High Court could be made Acting Chief Justice of that High Court.
Sources said the transfer of Justice Joseph cannot be linked with the Uttarakhand verdict as the Collegium has primacy over judges appointment and the government's role is minimal.