M A I N   N E W S

PF Scam
CJI asked to recuse himself

New Delhi, July 17
High drama was witnessed in the Supreme Court today during the hearing on the multi-crore provident fund scam in Uttar Pradesh allegedly also involving judges, when a senior counsel asked Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan to recuse himself from hearing the matter.

A miffed CJI told counsel Shanti Bhushan that he had taken some decision on the administrative side and if he (CJI) had to recuse himself then an amended prayer had to be filed.

Bhushan made the plea to the CJI citing a media report that claimed that he had asked the SSP of Ghaziabad to prepare a questionnaire that would form the basis for inquiry against the judges. The CJI shot back saying he had taken the decision on the administrative side.

“It’s a matter falling under the administrative side. The SSP sought my permission and I have taken the decision. If you want to challenge it you can do so. For this you have to amend your prayer. Somebody else (other Bench) will hear it,” Justice Balakrishnan said.

Minutes before this drama, the Bench had passed the order seeking response from the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government on the issue of holding an independent probe into the scam. Names of 26 members of judiciary, including an apex court judge, seven Allahabad High Court judges, six retired high court judges and 12 judges from subordinate judiciary in the state, have cropped up in the scam. — PTI