The probe panel set up by Vice President Hamid Ansari to probe allegations of corruption and land grabbing against the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, Justice P.D. Dinakaran [pictured], has been reconstituted following the elevation of the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice A.R. Dave to the Supreme Court.

The Judges Inquiry Act, 1968, stipulates that the probe panel must consist of a Supreme Court judge, the Chief Justice of a High Court and an eminent jurist. The Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court, Justice J.S. Khehar is expected to take over the post vacated by Justice Dave.

The other two members of the panel consist of Supreme Court judge, Justice V.S. Sirpurkar who heads the panel and Senior Counsel P.P. Rao. Their inclusion in the panel was met with criticism due to the close relationship that they allegedly share with the accused judge.

While the probe panel which was set up by the Vice President following the admission of an impeachment motion by 75 members of the Rajya Sabha in December of last year is yet to begin its inquiry into the matter, it has met on a few occasions to work out the logistics and other modalities.

The Dinakaran issue which rocked the country’s judiciary last year shows no signs of dying down. It all started with the recommendation of the judge’s elevation to the Supreme Court which was vehemently opposed by several eminent jurists of the legal fraternity including Senior Counsels Fali Nariman, Shanti Bhushan and Justice D.V. Shylendra Kumar of the Karnataka High Court.

With Justice Dinakaran refusing to go on leave and ensuing moves to transfer him to far flung high courts which called protests set off a virtual musical chairs amongst the various judges of the country. After a lull in this matter, it remains to be seen whether this latest development in the Dinakaran matter will set off a new series of debates.