The Supreme Court on Monday took up hearing on the petitions filed against YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for alleged contempt of court in making allegations against Supreme Court judge N V Ramana.
However, the hearing did not make any progress, as Justice U U Lalit, who was heading the bench that took up the case, recused himself from hearing the petition seeking action against Jagan. The bench also comprised Justices Vineet Saran and Ravindra Bhat.
Justice Lalit said he had represented one of the parties in the litigation in the past as a lawyer. So, he could not take up the matter. Chief Justice of India S A Bobde would decide the bench comprising other judges who would take up the hearing of the case.
The court was hearing three separate petitions seeking inquiry and action against the chief minister for his alleged ‘scandalizing’ remarks against the second senior-most judge of the top court, Justice NV Ramana.
The petitioners – three advocates GS Mani, Pradeep Kumar Yadav and Sunil Kumar Singh and NGO Anti-Corruption Council of India Trust – have sought a judicial inquiry by an internal committee headed by sitting or retired judges of the Supreme Court or any authority including the Central Bureau of Investigation, into the allegations raised by the chief minister.
Advocate Sunil Kumar Singh, in his petition, has asked the top court to issue a show cause to Reddy after his government's official made public a letter written by Reddy to the CJI on October 6 making certain allegations against Justice Ramana.
Reddy, in his letter, had alleged that Justice Ramana had been influencing the judicial affairs at Andhra Pradesh High Court including calling the shots on roster of certain High Court judges.
It was also alleged that cases important to the opposition Telugu Desam Party were “allocated to a few judges”.