Justice Muralidhar who condemned police action in Delhi violence transferred to Punjab and Haryana High Court

Delhi High Court judge Justice S Muralidhar who on Wednesday grilled the centre, the state government and Delhi Police over the violence in national capital has been transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The notification on the transfer of Justice Muralidhar and the third highest judge of the Delhi High Court was issued on Wednesday night by the central government about two weeks after it was recommended by the Supreme Court collegium on February 12. 

"In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 222 of the Constitution of India, the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, is pleased to transfer Shri Justice S Muralidhar, Judge of the Delhi High Court, as a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and to direct him to assume charge of his office in the Punjab and Haryana High Court," the government notification read. The Delhi High Court Bar Association had last week condemned the transfer and demanded the SC collegium to recall the move.

Earlier on Wednesday, Justice Muralidhar had said, "We cannot let another 1984-like event happen in this country" and asked the government - at the centre and in Delhi - to work together to combat unrelenting violence that hit parts of the national capital for a fourth consecutive day. The judge asked why there shouldn't be FIRs against four BJP leaders. He told the Delhi Police chief to seriously consider the consequences of not registering the FIR.