The Day After: another tehelka, the judge quits

Justice K Venkataswami today resigned from both the Tehelka Commission and a Finance Ministry panel. It was this second job that the Opposit...

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Justice K Venkataswami today resigned from both the Tehelka Commission and a Finance Ministry panel. It was this second job that the Opposition used yesterday to slam the Government in the Lok Sabha on the grounds of ‘‘constitutional propriety.’’ Sources said the judge’s move caught the Government off-guard and the resignation has not been accepted yet.

Once Parliament resumes on Monday, the government is expected to test the waters—the Opposition’s reaction—before taking the next step.‘‘Venkataswami submitted a letter to the Prime Minister this evening saying he was resigning from both posts because an ‘unncessary controversy had been generated,’’’ official sources said.

When contacted, Venkataswami declined to comment saying: ‘‘Please speak to the PMO.” If his resignation is accepted, the Tehelka inquiry is all set to be delayed although except for past defence transactions, no arguments have been heard so far. The new judge—as and when he/she is appointed—will have to hear these arguments afresh.

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Proceedings in Parliament had been paralysed yesterday with the Opposition charging the government with impropriety by handing over an office of profit to a judge who was heading a probe against the government’s alleged role in defence deals. The Government had countered the charge by saying that the decision to appoint Venkataswami was done in consultation and on the advice of the CJI.

Finance Minister Jaswant Singh had said that the retired judge had been working on dual posts since May 2002. He said the CJI’s suggestion was agreed to by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet in April. Venkataswami was chairmanship of a Railway-related panel in Chennai, which was the source of his income till he demitted office on Nov 14. He gets paid on a per sitting basis for Tehelka inquiry.