Justice Karnan to appear in-person to argue his transfer to Calcutta High Court

Sitting judge of Calcutta High Court, Justice CS Karnan, will appear in-person in Supreme Court next month, to argue a case relating to his own transfer to Calcutta High Court from the Madras High Court..Justice Karnan had written to the Supreme Court Registry last month seeking permission to argue his own case. Consequently, Justice Karnan’s advocate, S Gowthaman had also filed an application seeking discharge from the case. The same was allowed by a Bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy on January 5..This would mean that Justice Karnan will argue his own case on February 13..Meanwhile, the Madras High Court has also submitted before the Supreme Court that Justice Karnan has in his possession, twelve files of the Madras High Court which have to be returned. Further, the High Court also submitted that the judge has not vacated his official government accommodation in Chennai though he was obligated to do so within one month from the date he ceased to be a judge of the Madras High Court..The Supreme Court has allowed Justice Karnan to file his response to these allegations..Justice Karnan, who is known for his maverick ways, had controversially opposed the decision of the Collegium to transfer him to Calcutta from Madras. This was in February last year, when he had allegedly shouted at the Registrar cum Personal Secretary of Madras High Court Chief Justice SK Kaul and also proceeded to suo moto take up (on the judicial side) his own transfer order. The High Court had brought the same to the notice of the Supreme Court in a case already pending before it..The Supreme Court had thereupon, directed the Chief Justice of the High Court to not assign any further judicial work to Justice Karnan on account of his transfer. The Court had also categorically held that operation of all orders passed by Justice Karnan after the issuance of his transfer proposal shall remain stayed. The Court had also given the judge liberty to enter appearance in the matter..Justice Karnan had then gone ahead and stayed his own transfer order apparently prompting strong rebuke from the Chief Justice of India..Subsequently, Karnan J. had written to the Chief Justice of India, Justice JS Khehar and Justice R Banumathi explaining his conduct leading to an erroneous order in violation of the stay order by the Supreme Court..In the letter written to the three judges, Justice Karnan had admitted that order was a result of his, “mental frustration resulting in the loss of his mental balance.”.His transfer order was subsequently cleared by the President and he had taken charge in Calcutta High Court..Read the order below.