SC Collegium recommended transfer of Acting Chief Justice of High Court of Manipur

Imphal (Manipur): The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, has recommended the Union government to transfer the acting Chief Justice of Manipur High Court, Justice MV Muralidharan to Calcutta High Court.

The Collegium on 9 October 2023, proposed the transfer of Justice M V Muralidaran, Judge, High Court of Manipur [PHC: Madras], to the High Court at Calcutta, for better administration of justice.

The SC Collegium through a statement said “In terms of the Memorandum of Procedure, we have consulted one of the judges of the Supreme Court who, being conversant with the affairs of the High Court of Manipur is in a position to offer views on the proposed transfer. We have also consulted the Chief Justice of the High Court at Calcutta.”

The statement said  that Justice Muralidaran, by a communication dated 10 October 2023, requested to transfer him to his parent High Court and if that is not feasible, to permit him to continue to function in the High Court of Manipur, instead of transferring him to the High Court at Calcutta.

However, the Collegium declined the request for transfer citing “The Collegium does not find merit in the requests made by him. The Collegium, therefore, resolved to reiterate its recommendation dated 9 October 2023 to transfer Mr Justice M V Muralidharan to the High Court at Calcutta”.

It was said that in July, the Collegium recommended the appointment of Delhi High Court judge, Justice Siddharth Mridul, as the next Manipur High Court Chief Justice. However, the Central government is yet to notify this appointment.

In April, this year, Justice Muralidharan passed an order asking the Manipur government to send recommendation regarding the inclusion of Meetei/Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe List.