The Dinakaran probe panel has got itself a new head after Justice V.S. Sirpurkar recused himself following pressure from the Forum of Judicial Accountability. The 3 member panel will now be headed by Supreme Court judge, Justice Aftab Alam (pictured).

Questions had been raised regarding the neutrality of Justice Sirpurkar after it was pointed out that he had sat on Division Benches with Justice Dinakaran at the Madras High Court. It was also discovered that there was also a social and personal relationship between the two judges.

After Justice Sirpurkar’s recusal, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari has reconstituted the panel. The other members of the panel are Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, J.S. Khehar and Senior Advocate, P.P. Rao.

The reconstitution of the panel notwithstanding, one wonders at the amount of time that the panel is taking to complete its investigation and formulate charges against the tainted judge. The panel which was constituted under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 in May of this year is yet to complete its investigation.

Ever since its inception the panel has been plagued with problems. Questions regarding the neutrality of its members, to changes among the members of the panels, along with doubts regarding the powers of the panel have delayed the investigations time and again.