The Supreme Court on Monday said interference in judicial appointments and transfers “does not augur well” for the institution, PTI reported.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi made the remarks after the Gujarat High Court Advocate Association filed a petition and sought directions to the Centre to implement the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendations on the transfer of Bombay High Court Justice Akil Kureshi.

Last week, the collegium had modified its May 10 recommendation to appoint Kureshi the chief justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court after the government did not approve the proposal. The collegium led by Gogoi then recommended to the government to appoint Kureshi the chief justice of Tripura High Court.

“Appointments and transfers go to the root of the administration of justice and where judicial review is severely restricted,” the court said. “Interference in system of administration of justice does not augur well for the institution.”

Senior advocate Arvind Datar, representing the Gujarat lawyers’ association, urged the court to keep the petition on Kureshi’s appointment pending till the Centre approves the collegium’s September 5 recommendation on his appointment to Tripura High Court. The top court accepted the suggestion.

The Supreme Court recently came under intense criticism after the collegium refused to accept Madras High Court’s former Chief Justice VK Tahilramani’s request to reconsider its recommendation to transfer her to Meghalaya High Court. She resigned on September 6.

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