Hamid Ansari, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, on Saturday ordered the constitution of a 3-member panel under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, to investigate the charges against Karnataka Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran. The panel headed by Justice V.S. Sirpurkar [pictured] of the Supreme Court, comprises Andhra Pradesh Chief Justice A.R. Dave and Senior Counsel P.P. Rao. The committee was constituted after 75 Rajya Sabha Members signed a petition asking the Chairman to initiate impeachment proceedings against Justice Dinakaran.

Justice Dinakaran, whose elevation to the Supreme Court has been put indefinitely on hold after charges of land grabbing and possession of disproportionate assets were brought against him in September last year. The Chief Justice has currently passed on all judicial duties to a Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court, but continues to preside over the administrative duties of the Court, a move that faces stiff opposition from the members of the Bar and the Bench.

Several jurists have already emphasised a need for speed in the inquiry proceedings against Justice Dinakaran. The impeachment proceedings against Justice Soumitra Sen, for example, are still pending, despite the fact that impeachment proceedings had been started on the recommendation of the Chief Justice in September 2008. The 3-member committee investigating charges of financial misconduct against Justice Sen saw several changes, with Justice D.K. Jain opting out of the committee in June 2009 on the grounds of prior commitments. He was then replaced by Justice Sudershan Reddy, who chaired the panel comprising Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and Senior Counsel Fali S. Nariman. Justice Thakur's elevation to the Supreme Court in November left the committee one member short, a vacancy that was filled only in December by the new Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Mukul Mudgal.

"With the large number of cases pending in the courts, we cannot afford vacancies in the High Court," said an advocate of the Karnataka High Court, who did not wish to be named. "The matter of Justice Dinakaran must be resolved quickly," he added.