SC-CHRONOLOGY-CHELAMESWAR

Following is the chronology of events which led to Justice J Chelameswar today once again expressing anguish over the state of affairs in the Supreme Court when a petition seeking formulation of guidelines on allocation of cases was mentioned for urgent listing before him.

*Nov 9, 2017: Justice Chelameswar refers to a five-judge bench a plea which had alleged that bribes were being taken using names of apex court judges promising to secure favourable settlement in a medical college matter.

*Nov 10: CJI Dipak Misra sets up a five-judge bench headed by him and overturns Justice Chelameswar's order, saying the CJI has sole prerogative on allocation of matters.

 

*Jan 11, 2018: Collegium recommends name of senior lawyer Indu Malhotra and Uttarakhand HC Chief Justice K M Joseph, who was part of the bench which in 2016 had quashed the imposition of President's Rule in the state, for elevation as judges to the apex court.

*Jan 12: Four senior-most SC judges -- Justices Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, M B Lokur and Kurian Joseph -- call an unprecedented presser and say that situation in the SC was "not in order" and many "less than desirable" things have taken place.

*Mar 21: Justice Chelameswar writes a letter to the CJI saying any "bonhomie" between the judiciary and the government would sound the "death knell" for democracy and urged him to convene a full court to deal with the alleged executive interference in judiciary.

*Apr 11: SC rules that the CJI is the "first among equals and occupies a unique position having the exclusive prerogative" to allocate cases and set up benches to hear cases.

*Apr : Justice Kurian Joseph writes to the CJI about delay by the Centre in clearing names recommended by the Collegium on January 11. He says the delay by government was abuse of power and sends a wrong message to judges not to cause displeasure to the executive.

*Apr 12: Justice Chelameswar expresses anguish over the affairs in the SC and refused to list a PIL filed by ex-Law Minister Shanti Bhushan seeking formulation of norms on allocation of cases.