Three judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice Dipak Mishra, Justice AM Khanwilkar & Justice DY Chandrachud appoints former Karnataka HC judge Justice Jawad Rahim as acting chairperson of the National Green Tribunal on a plea by the NGT Bar Association.

Consequent upon the term of the Chairperson of the National Green Tribunal having ended, it has become necessary for the Central Government
to notify a Member of the Tribunal who will act as the Chairperson until a new appointment is made. Section 11 of the National Green Tribunal Act 2010
contemplates that the Central Government shall in such an eventuality notify a judicial member to act as Chairperson until a regular appointment is made

“The learned Attorney General for India has placed on the record a comparative chart setting out relevant details in regard to two of the senior most judicial members of the Tribunal : Justice Jawad Rahim and Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore. From the chart, the learned Attorney General has drawn the attention of the Court to the fact that Justice Jawad Rahim and Justice R S Rathore were appointed to the NGT on 12 January 2016. Justice Jawad Rahim joined the NGT later than Justice Rathore, after he was relieved from his assignment. The Attorney General has fairly drawn the attention of the Court to the fact that Justice Jawad Rahim ranks senior in appointment to Justice R S Rathore as a Judge of the High Court.”

“Justice Jawad Rahim shall discharge the duties of Chairperson for all purposes, including participating in the selection process for filing up vacancies of members, until a regular appointment of a new Chairperson is made.”

Before being appointed as Judicial Member of the NGT in February 2016. Earlier he was appointed as a judge of the Karnataka High Court in 2006, and served till his retirement in 2014..

Read Order here:

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