Move To Transfer Justice Muralidhar Deferred After Justice Sikri's Objection

There was a proposal to transfer Justice Muralidhar of Delhi High Court, which has been deferred as of now following objections by some members of the Supreme Court collegium, reported the Indian Express.

The Indian Express reported that the move to transfer Justice Muralidhar was discussed twice in this three-member Collegium for postings and transfers in High Courts, in December and in January. The proposal could be revived later.

As per the report, the first bid to transfer was made mid December. "But a judge in the Collegium from the Delhi High Court is said to have persuaded the CJI to not insist on it. In the second instance, a bid was made again, when the Collegium changed, after the retirement of Justice Lokur", said the report.

Sources told Livelaw that Justice Sikri has vehemently opposed the proposal. 

Another Supreme Court Judge from Delhi High Court Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, also strongly objected the proposal. 

Justice Muralidhar is known for his bold pronouncements against communal violence and invasions of civil liberties. He presided the bench which quashed the remand order in the case of Gautam Navlakha, who was sought to be arrested for alleged Maoist links. His judgements overturned the acquittals in the Hashimpura massacre case. Last December, the bench presided by him reversed the acquittals in a case of 1984 anti-Sikh riots, leading to the conviction of leading Congress leader Sajjan Kumar. 

Justice Muarlidhar was also part of the Delhi HC bench presided by former Chief Justice A P Shah, which had struck down Section 377 IPC in 2009.