Katju row: Uproar in Parliament

Former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju, currently Chairman of Press Council of India, today stirred a controversy by alleging that three ex-Chief Justices of India had compromised in giving extension to an additional judge of Madras High court at the instance of UPA government in the wake of pressure from one of its allies, apparently DMK. Katju made the charge while alleging how the three former CJIs--Justices R C Lahoti, Y K Sabharwal and K G Balakrishnan--had made "imroper compromises" in allowing the judge, against whom there were several allegations of corruption, to continue in office.

AIADMK member V Maitreyan in the Rajya Sabha in New Delhi. You will not show newspaper here, Dr Maitreyan," Chairman Hamid Ansari said referring to AIADMK leader who wanted the Question Hour to be suspended to discuss the issue. V Maitreyan said this was an important issue.

AIADMK members in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi. "It is a serious matter the previous government and the DMK interfered in the appointment of a corrupt judge," AIADMK leader M Thambidurai said during Zero Hour, demanding a probe into the allegations by the government.

A scene of the Rajya Sabha in New Delhi. The Rajya Sabha was disrupted on Monday as AIADMK members raised the issue of corruption in judiciary. An angry chairman said the house was being adjourned because of "some members disrupting the house against the rules".

AIADMK members in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi. AIADMK members in Lok Sabha today sought an enquiry into the allegations of corruption in judiciary made by former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju, charging DMK and the erstwhile UPA government with "interfering" in the appointment of a Madras High Court judge.