Sitting NGT member opposes appointment of acting chairperson
The NGT office in New Delhi The NGT office in New Delhi
A sitting judicial member of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has moved the Supreme Court challenging the appointment of Justice Jawad Rahim as its acting chairperson. A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and M Shantanagoudar has agreed to hear the petition, filed by Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore, a former Rajasthan High Court judge and a sitting NGT member, after the court’s summer recess.
Rathore has contended the appointment saying that he was the senior-most judicial member and as per protocol should be appointed to the post of acting chairperson of the NGT. He said Justice Rahim ranked third in seniority after him and judicial member Justice Sonam Phintso Wangdi.
“…as borne out of official records, two of the senior-most judicial members of the National Green Tribunal are the applicant herein (Rathore) and Justice Wangdi. It is humbly submitted that Justice Jawad Rahim is only third in rank in terms of inter-se seniority… and it will be against established conventions and practices, either by way of interim arrangement or final, if the judicial members, who are senior in rank are superseded by a junior judge,” the petition states.
The Supreme Court on March 27 appointed Justice Rahim as the acting NGT chairperson, following which the Ministry of Environment and Forests passed an order on April 4, declaring Justice Rahim as the acting chairperson.
The petition sought recall or modification of the apex court’s order and passage of an order to set aside the MoEF notification.
For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App