Appointment on varsity tribunal challenged

The appointment of Justice N D Deshpande on University and College Tribunal,Mumbai and SNDT Women University Tribunal has been challenged in the Bombay High Court. Lawyer V P Patil,who moved the petition on Friday,contended that the appointment was illegal as Deshpande had not been confirmed as a judge of the High Court.

Deshpande was appointed as an additional judge in the High Court on April 16,2008 and was reappointed as an additional judge after two years. Two additional judges junior to Deshpande were sworn in as confirmed judges of the High Court on Friday. “This,” Patil said in his petition,¿clearly shows that Respondent no 1 (Deshpande) was not made permanent as he is unsuitable to hold judicial office¿.

The performance of additional judges is periodically reviewed by the collegium of High Court judges,which comprises the Chief Justice and two seniormost judges. The additional judges are sworn in as permanent judges after completion of two years. The situation of not confirming a judge after two years is rare not only in the High Court but also across the country. Patil urged the court to call for the service file of Deshpande and the file showing records of reasons for not confirming him as a High Court judge.

“If the service record of Respondent no 1 would have been good,then he would have been made permanent,” his petition said.