No wrong in judges being appointed to posts by govts: Katju

There is no rule that bars appointment of judges to constitutional or other posts after retirement, Press Council of India Chairperson Markandey Katju today said.
The former Supreme Court judge said this while responding to a question about former CJI R M Lodha's statement that judges should avoid taking any constitutional or other position at least two years after demitting office.
"There is no such absolute hard and fast rule," he said.
According to him, there has been a convention that the chairman of the Press Council is a retired judge.
He said all governments -- whether Congress or BJP -- had appointed retired judges on various bodies.

"It's what you do once you are appointed, that's what matters. If somebody is doing something wrong after being appointed, certainly criticise him," he said.

He said that hundreds of Supreme Court judges have been appointed to various tribunals and in principle there is no difference between Chief Justice of India and Supreme Court judges because Chief Justice of India is only first among equals.
Replying further to a question whether it was proper for judges to accept such positions, Katju said, "There is nothing wrong in it. As long as they don't do anything wrong after appointment," he said.

Earlier Lodha had said that judges should not take any constitutional or other position at least two years after demitting office.