Dinakaran Yet to Go on Leave, Awaiting Formal Communication from Collegium

Despite the Supreme Court collegium’s advice on April 3, Karnataka Chief Justice PD Dinakaran has yet not proceeded on leave, said media reports.

Reports said quoting unnamed sources that Dinakaran was waiting for a formal communication about the collegium’s decision.

“He will take a final decision only after he receives a copy of the decision, which has so far only been referred to in media reports,” a source in Karnataka High Court was quoted as saying.

In the meanwhile, reports quoted sources in the Supreme Court as saying that the collegium’s decision would be conveyed to Dinakaran later this week.

“There is a process. Once the same is completed, we will send out the letter,” the source was quoted as saying.

Staff at Dinakaran’s office also said on Monday that the Chief Justice had not proceeded on leave, reports said.

Besides, the HC Registrar’s office denied having received any communication about Dinakaran as well as about the appointment of Delhi High Court Acting Chief Justice Madan B Lokur as Acting Karnataka Chief Justice, said reports.

A Supreme Court official replied in negative when he was asked if Dinakaran was bound by law to follow the collegium’s ‘advice’, reports said.

“Under the Constitution, the collegium has no authority to rein in errant judges. It can only recommend such a judge’s transfer. As for asking him to proceed on leave, it is only in the shape of an advice and it is up to the judge to accept it or not,” he was quoted as saying.

(Based on media reports)