Dinakaran wants P.P. Rao removed
Even as the Rajya Sabha chairman appointed inquiry committee probing the impeachment motion charges against Sikkim high court Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran was awaiting his reply to a set of 16 charges against him, he has raised questions on the panel itself seeking removal of senior advocate P.P. Rao from it.
According to sources, instead of submitting the detailed reply on each of the specific charge in the chargesheet framed by the committee against Justice Dinakaran, he sent a reply through his counsel Nitin Mesharam seeking recusal of Rao from the probe panel alleging that he was “biased”.
Justice Dinakaran also raised questions on the 16 charges framed by the panel claiming that the committee comprising Justice Aftab Alam of the Supreme Court, Karnataka high court Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Mr Rao had “exceeded its jurisdiction” by clubbing his judicial functions also with administrative duties while framing the so-called charges.
He also raised constitutional question citing the provisions of Articles 124 and 121 stating that they had raised personal issues against him whereas a judge was protected against raking up such issues under these articles.
The committee had given time till April 20 to Justice Dinakaran to respond to the 16 charges framed against him by the panel and stated that it would commence the arguments on the charge from April 25.
By raking up the issue of Rao’s presence in the inquiry committee, it apparently looks unlikely that the proceedings would commence form April 25.
Sikkim high court Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran was shifted from Karnataka HC to Sikkim following strong objection the high court bar association to his continuation as the Chief Justice there.
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