Don’t assign judicial work to Justice Karnan, says Supreme Court [Read Order]

In another interesting turn of events in the Justice Karnan saga, the Supreme Court today allowed the Madras Chief Justice to refrain from assigning any judicial work to the controversial judge..The order was passed by a Division Bench of Justices Khehar and R Banumathi after hearing Senior Advocate KK Venugopal, appearing on behalf of the Registrar of the High Court..The Registrar had filed a fresh affidavit in the matter, the contents of which resulted in much mirth within the courtroom. It was averred, in the affidavit, that when the Registrar-cum-Personal Secretary of Chief Justice SK Kaul went to Justice Karnan’s residence (on a request by Justice Karnan), the judge shouted at him and hurled the “choicest of abuses” at him..“How dare you transfer me to Calcutta?”.It was further submitted that the judge had taken suo moto cognizance of his own transfer order and is proposing to pass orders on it today..The Bench, therefore, allowed the Chief Justice of the High Court to not assign any further judicial work to Justice Karnan on account of his transfer. The Court also categorically held that operation of all orders passed by Justice Karnan after the issuance of his transfer proposal shall remain stayed..“Having taken note of the situation, in our view it would be appropriate, that Hon’ble Mr. Justice C.S. Karnan should hear and dispose of only such matters as are specially assigned to him by Hon’ble the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. It will be open to Hon’ble the Chief Justice of the High Court, not to assign any further administrative/judicial work to him. This would imply, that no other orders shall be passed by Hon’ble Mr. Justice C.S. Karnan, suo-motu or otherwise, in any matter not specially assigned to him. .The operation of all or any administrative/judicial order(s) passed by Hon’ble Mr. Justice C.S. Karnan, after the issuance of the proposal of his transfer from the Madras High Court dated 12.02.2016.(unless specially assigned to him, by Hon’ble the Chief Justice), shall remain stayed till further orders.”.The Court directed that the copy of its order be furnished to the judge while also holding that it shall be open for Justice Karnan “to enter appearance before this court in the pending matter at his own cost”..Update at 14:25 hrs: After the Supreme Court passed the order, Justice Karnan took up his own transfer order and stayed the same today..Hence, the matter was mentioned once again by Senior Advocate KK Venugopal at 2 pm to inform the Court of the same. From the order of the Supreme Court, it seems obvious that this new order by Justice Karnan in his own transfer matter would stand stayed since the Supreme Court has directed that “the operation of all or any administrative/judicial order(s) passed by Hon’ble Mr. Justice C.S. Karnan, after the issuance of the proposal of his transfer from the Madras High Court dated 12.02.2016.(unless specially assigned to him, by Hon’ble the Chief Justice), shall remain stayed till further orders.”.These developments from two important Constitutional courts have left the legal fraternity, especially in Delhi and Chennai, in daze..Read the order:.Image taken from here.