HC upholds compulsory retirement of magistrate

Chennai, March 31: The Madras High Court today upheld a July last order of the court's Registrar General compulsorily retiring a judicial officer charged with corruption.
Dismissing a petition filed by B Kulamani, a District Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate, who was compulsorily retired on attaining the age of 50 years by a July 13, 2007 order from the Registrar General, a Division Bench comprising Justice S J Mukhopadhaya and Justice F M Ibrahim Kallifulla said 'we are convinced that the decision taken by the Registrar General is purely in public interest and based on relevant considerations'.
The Judges held that the personal records of the officer disclosed that the petitioner was not able to meet the stature expected of him as had been outlined by the Supreme Court.
'We hold that such a decision taken by the Registrar General is perfectly justified and does not call for any interference', the Bench said adding that it was well settled that a decision of compulsorily retirement was purely an administrative one and so long as it was based on relevant materials and judicious considerations there was very little scope for interference.
While serving as a District Munsiff-cum-Judicial Magistrate, Kulamani was suspended by a June 6, 2005 order based on a complaint from members of the bar. Subsequently by the impugned order he was compulsorily retired.
As many as 22 complaints relating to corruption charges were made against the officer between 2000 and 2004. While for the period between 2003 and 2005 there were 13 corruption charges against him. - Agencies chennaionline.com; Published: Tuesday, April 01, 2008