Even as the higher judicial appointment system is in a limbo, senior-most judge of the Patna High Court Iqbal Ahmed Ansari was on Monday given the responsibilities of officiating as the Chief Justice of that High Court.
A law Ministry statement said he will assume his charge with effect from August 1 following the retirement of Chief Justice lingala Narasimha Reddy.
While the collegium system of judges appointing judges has been done away with by a new law, the National Judicial Appointment Commission is still to begin its work.
The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment on a clutch of petitions challenging the validity of NJAC. The Chief Justice of India has refused to take part in a meeting with the Prime Minister in the selection committee of the panel under the new law, thus leaving the new system in a limbo.
However, according to law Ministry sources, Article 223 of the Constitution states that when the office of the Chief Justice of a high court is vacant or when any such Chief Justice is, by reason of absence or otherwise, unable to perform the duties of his office, the duties shall be performed by such one of the other judges of the court as the President may appoint for the purpose.