India will get a Chief Justice from a Dalit community now. On Friday, the President of India has designated the senior most Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Konakuppakattil Gopinathan Balakrishnan, as the next Chief Justice of India.
With him taking oath on January 14, 2007, a history will be created, as he will be the first Dalit to occupy the highest post in the judiciary.
The post of Chief Justice of India is the lone constitutional top post that was not occupied with any person from Dalit community till yet.
The Justice Balakrishnan had sworn-in as the Judge in the Supreme Court on June 8, 2000. According to the Law ministry, the official notification for his appointment will come next week. Justice Balakrishnan will be there at the top post of Indian Judiciary until May 12, 2010.
Justice Balakrishnan said that
ridding the judiciary of corruption would be one of his priorities. We have to be extremely careful in judicial appointments.
We have to carefully scrutinise the antecedents of judicial officers and block the way for the corrupt person right at the entry level.
