Justice CS Karnan row: President has sent request for relief to home ministry, says NLC

Justice CS Karnan, who was sentenced to six months of imprisonment by the Supreme Court for contempt, is in hiding, according to media reports. Set to retire in June, Karnan has sought meetings with President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Now, the National Lawyers Campaign for Judicial Transparency and Reforms (NLC) has issued a press release, stating that the president has forwarded Karnan’s request for the suspension of his sentence under Article 72 of the Constitution of India to the home ministry. NLC general secretary Rohini M Amin, issued a press release: “The NLC is extremely glad to inform the public at large, the press, its campaigners and civil rights activists that the president’s office has been pleased to forward Justice CS Karnan’s request for suspension of sentence under Article 72 of the Constitution of India to the home ministry.” “We believe that if the political parties condemn the usurpation of the jurisdiction of Parliament to remove a judge so too sentencing even a high court judge for contempt of court, without framing charges, without a lawyer to defend him, without even a judgment, the government certainly would recommend suspension of sentence till a judgment is written. One of the judges has retired. No judgment can be written without hearing the case afresh. Therefore, for the president to suspend the sentence till the case is reheard and a judgement is pronounced, is, in all humility, I would say, is imperative, not even a matter of discretion, if I may so with utmost respect. Justice should be done even if the heavens fall,” the release added. “Justice Karnan, Tuesday, filed an application in challenge of the order of the Registrar Judicial declining even to register his application for recall of the order dated  9 May, 2017 of the seven judge bench of the Supreme court. It may be added that the registry has till date not processed the chamber appeal which Justice Karnan has preferred in challenge of the registrar declining to register the writ petition of Justice Karnan seeking a declaration that the contempt of courts act is unconstitutional. Nedumpara, the counsel for Justice Karnan,  will seek emergent listing of the said appeals before the Vacation Bench.”