SC directs substitution of former HC judge in inquiry commission on power purchase by KCR government
The Hindu
The order came in an appeal filed by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi supremo alleging bias against Justice Reddy. He said the current Congress government in the State had constituted the CoI as a ‘pure case of political vendetta’
The Supreme Court on July 16 directed the Telangana government to substitute retired Patna High Court Chief Justice L. Narasimha Reddy as the one-man Commission of Inquiry (CoI) examining alleged irregularities in the power sector during the tenure of former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud passed the direction after Justice Reddy decided not to continue as the CoI and bowed out.
The apex court directed the State government, represented by senior advocate A.M. Singhvi and Siddharth Luthra, to issue a notification substituting Justice Reddy for another as the CoI. Justice Reddy and the CoI was represented by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayan.
The order came in an appeal filed by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) supremo alleging bias against Justice Reddy. He said the current Congress government in the State had constituted the CoI as a “pure case of political vendetta”.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi challenged a March 14, 2024 notification issued by the State government terming the CoI as a “judicial enquiry”.
“‘Judicial enquiry’ has a completely different connotation,” Mr. Rohatgi submitted.
The senior lawyer took offence to a press conference held by Justice Reddy on an ongoing inquiry and the remarks he had made at the event.