Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court Justice PD Dinakaran resigned

Sikkim high court Chief Justice PD Dinakaran resigned on 29 July 2011. He was facing impeachment on charges of corruption and judicial misconduct. 61-year-old Dinakaran would have demitted office next in 2012 on attaining the age of 62. He was prior to being transferred to Sikkim High Court, he was the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court.

Allegations were made against Dinakaran in September 2009 by several members of the Bar Council of India including Former Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani stating that he had huge assets and land acquisitions in his Hometown Arakkonam more than what was fixed by the Tamil Nadu Land reforms. Justice Dinakaran did not perform any judicial functions since December 2009 when the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha admitted a motion seeking his removal on charges of corruption and abuse of his judicial office.

Dinakaran is the third judge of the higher judiciary to face impeachment proceedings. The impeachment motion against Justice V Ramaswamy of the Supreme Court was defeated in the Lok Sabha in mid-nineties. The inquiry report of three- member committee appointed by Rajya Sabha Chairman against Justice Soumitra Sen of Calcutta high court is still pending.