The petition filed by the Gujarat High Court Advocates Association (GHCAA) challenging the Centre’s reluctance to appoint Justice Akil Kureshi as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has been kept pending by the Supreme Court.

An order to that effect was passed today after Senior Advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for GHCAA, requested that the matter be kept pending until the Central government issues a notification appointing Justice Akil Kureshi as Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court.

The Court acceded to the request, while noting in its order the modification made by the Collegium recommending Justice Kureshi to take over as Chief Justice of Tripura High Court instead of Madhya Pradesh High Court.

The Court also stated in its order that the matter goes to the root of administration of justice and that any interference in the administration of justice does not augur well for the institution.

In May this year, the Supreme Court Collegium had recommended that Justice Kureshi be appointed as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

Various other recommendations made by the Collegium, barring the one related to Justice Kureshi, were approved by the Centre.

The GHCAA had filed a petition in the Supreme Court taking objection to the Central government’s reluctance to appoint Justice Akil Kureshi as Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court.

When that petition was heard on September 16 by a Bench of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SA Bobde and S Abdul Nazeer, the Supreme Court had stated that a decision had been taken and would soon be published on the Supreme Court website.

On September 20, it was revealed that the Supreme Court Collegium modified its recommendation to appoint Justice Akil Kureshi as Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court. It had, instead, resolved to appoint Justice Kureshi as Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court.

[Read Order]