New Delhi
Rejecting Manipur High Court’s acting Chief Justice MV Muralidaran’s request to either transfer him to his parent Madras High Court or not transfer him at all, the Supreme Court collegium, headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, on Wednesday, reiterated its recommendation to transfer him to the Calcutta High Court for better administration of justice.
It was a bench of justice Muralidaran which had on March 27 this year ordered the Manipur government to consider a representation by a Meitei organisation seeking Scheduled Tribe status. And this was said to have triggered the ethnic conflict in the State between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zo communities, following a Tribal Solidarity March on May 3.
Justice Muralidaran had directed the Biren Singh government to consider the representation for ST status to the majority Meitei community and write to the Centre within four weeks.
The Collegium, also comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai and Surya Kant, refused Justice Muralidaran’s request to transfer him to Madras High Court or permit him to continue to function in the High Court of Manipur instead of transferring him to Calcutta.
“On October 9, 2023, the Collegium proposed the transfer of Mr Justice M V Muralidaran, Judge, High Court of Manipur [PHC: Madras], to the High Court at Calcutta, for better administration of justice. In terms of the Memorandum of Procedure, we have consulted one of the judges of the Supreme Court who, being conversant with the affairs of the High Court of Manipur, is in a position to offer views on the proposed transfer,” it said.
The Collegium said it considered the request made by Justice Muralidaran but did not find merit in them.
“The Collegium, therefore, resolves to reiterate its recommendation dated October 9, 2023, to transfer Mr Justice M V Muralidaran to the High Court at Calcutta,” it said.
