"Be Fair," Centre Tells Supreme Court, Rejecting Judge Pick: 10 Points

NEW DELHI:  Setting up a massive confrontation with the judiciary, the government has taken the extraordinary step of sending back one of the two names recommended for promotion as Supreme Court judges, urging the collegium or group of five most senior judges to be "objective and fair" and reconsider their choice of Uttarakhand Chief Justice KM Joseph. Justice Joseph's name was not recommended "in terms of seniority and merit and fair representation," the government has said according to sources. Indu Malhotra, the second name recommended by the top judges, was cleared yesterday, three months after both names went to the centre for approval. The delay prompted senior judges to write to the Chief Justice expressing concern over interference.