india

Updated: Sep 21, 2019 22:05 IST

Ending the impasse, President Ram Nath Kovind has accepted the resignation of the Chief Justice of Madras High Court, VK Tahilramani, after the Supreme Court Collegium transferred her to the Meghalaya High Court.

In a notification late on Friday, the Union Law Ministry said the resignation has been accepted with effect from the afternoon of September 6.

Having tendered her resignation to the President with a copy of the same to the Chief Justice of India on September 6, Justice Tahilramani, abstained from work since then and the cases posted before the Bench headed by her were placed before other Judges. She had first informed of her decision to quit to her brother and sister judges during a dinner on the same night.

She had already started moving out her belongings from the official residence in Chennai.

The SC Collegium passed a resolution, deemed as an administrative order, to transfer her to the Meghalaya HC on August 28. Subsequently, she requested a reconsideration of that but, it was turned down.

Her transfer to a much smaller HC had raised eyebrows since she happens to be the senior-most Judge among the High Court judges. While the sanctioned strength of Madras HC is 75 Judges, it is just three for Meghalaya HC. So she put down her papers, apparently upset over her transfer.

She was elevated as a Judge of the Bombay High Court in June 2000 and appointed Chief Justice of the Madras HC, one of the three chartered High Courts in the country, in August 2018. Earlier, she had officiated twice as the acting CJ of Mumbai High Court.

Having been a Judge for nearly two decades, Justice Tahilramani is due to retire on October 2, 2020. As such, the transfer has evoked criticism among the legal fraternity.

Lawyers across the state boycotted court proceedings on September 10, condemning the transfer and to press for rescinding the same. A representation from a section of lawyers was also sent to the CJI and the SC collegiums to withdraw the ‘arbitrary and undemocratic’ transfer.

Meanwhile, the Madras High Court has reserved orders on the maintainability of a petition, filed by an advocate, challenging the transfer. Justice Vineet Kothari, the seniormost Judge of Madras High Court will officiate as the Chief Justice.

Chief Justice of Meghalaya AK Mittal is yet to take over as the Chief Justice of the Madras HC in place of Justice Tahilramani as per the resolution of the SC collegiums.