Ex-CJ Uma Nath Singh does not face threat in UP
SHILLONG: The State government has filed a petition before the Supreme Court challenging the order of the High Court of Meghalaya on providing Z category security to former Chief Justice Uma Nath Singh and Y category to retired Judge TNK Singh wherever they are at the State’s expense.
“We filed the petition on Monday after we assured the Supreme Court during the hearing on September 5 on a PIL filed by Sajay Laloo that the matter will be filed within 21 days,” Supreme Court lawyer and State government counsel Ranjan Mukherjee said over phone on Tuesday.
The petition filed by the State government challenges the January 7, 13 and 27 orders of the High Court of Meghalaya.
According to Mukherjee, the content of the petition is that when the Judges were with Meghalaya, the government had approved Z and Y category security to them.
While Chief Justice Uma Nath Singh currently residing in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, retired on January 27 this year, Judge TNK Singh, at present residing in Imphal, Manipur, retired on February 2.
Mukherjee said that as per the Centre’s assessment, retired Chief Justice Uma Nath Singh does not face any threat in UP, while there is some sort of threat to the retired Judge in Manipur.
As per the stand of the State government, if they intend to visit Meghalaya, the threat assessment will be made and adequate security will be provided to both the Judges.
“However, as long as they are residing in UP and Manipur, which is outside the territorial jurisdiction of Meghalaya, we cannot provide any security to them,” Mukherjee said.
According to Mukherjee, if UP or Manipur asks, Meghalaya can provide inputs on whether they face any threat.
“Moreover, the frequent summoning of senior IAS officers at the drop of a hat is not acceptable to the State government,” Mukherjee said.