HC rap for AG, CM: Kerala Govt targets judge

Kerala’s Congress-led UDF Government and the Congress party on Friday launched a scathing attack against a judge of the High Court who had the other day severely criticized the office of the State Advocate General over its alleged inefficiency and questioned the Chief Minister’s right to criticize Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi for representing bar owners in the Supreme Court.

While Chief Minister Oommen Chandy advised the judge, Justice Alexander Thomas, not to forget the position he was occupying while making such remarks, Congress’s Culture Minister KC Joseph said the judge’s remarks reflected his ignorance of laws and proved that he was publicity-crazy. A senior Congress leader alleged that the judge had a pro-left background.

Irked by the alleged inefficiency shown by Government lawyers during proceedings on two cases on Thursday, Justice Thomas had orally observed that the AG’s office was unable to handle cases properly despite the fact that it had 120 lawyers. The judge even went to the extent of saying that it would be better if the AG’s office was closed down in such a situation.

Justice Thomas had also questioned the right of the Chief Minister to criticize the Attorney General for appearing in the Supreme Court for the bar owners from Kerala when he was unable to ensure proper and efficient functioning of his own State’s law office. He also charged that several of the Government lawyers were nominees of liquor barons and business groups.

“We can’t ask people not to forget the paths they had trodden to reach particular positions. But people should not forget the dignity of the positions they adorn,” the Chief Minister said in the Assembly on Friday without referring to the judge by name. He had on Friday justified AG KP Dandapani by saying that the Government had full trust in him and his office.

Chandy’s statement came as a response to a notice for an adjournment motion moved by the Opposition on the court’s observations. Moving the notice, Janata Dal (S) legislator Mathew T Thomas asked what kind of relationship with the AG had forced the Chief Minister to defend him so vehemently.