"With polling scheduled on April 24, Justice Sathasivam saying that an important verdict will be pronounced before his retirement date of April 25 has led to fears among many if it will lead to a political fallout and created a big debate among advocates," he said in a statement here.
The petition, heard by a bench headed by the CJI himself, was pending before the court and arguments had been completed, he had said on the sidelines of a judges conference.
Karunanidhi said "the advantages and disadvantages of the Chief Justice himself announcing in a public function that the verdict on such an important case will be pronounced before parliamentary polls and whether such an announcement is in tune with judicial ethos should be pondered over and decided accordingly which will help uphold the court's principles and benefit one and all."