HC refuses to grant urgent hearing to ex-CVC's plea

The Delhi High Court today refused to grant urgent hearing on the plea of former Central Vigilance Commissioner PJ Thomas that his appeal, pending with the President against his sacking, be decided first before his successor Pradeep Kumar assumes charge.

"It is quite difficult to hear your petition at the eleventh hour," a division bench of justices Vikramjit Sen and Sindharth Mridul said referring to the oath taking ceremony of the new CVC scheduled at 11 am today.

The Court, however, agreed to hear the petition of Thomas in due course and said that it could be listed for hearing tomorrow.

Wills Mathews, the counsel for Thomas, mentioned the matter at 10:30 am before the bench which declined to hear it on urgent basis. Thomas has pleaded for a direction to the President not to issue any warrant of appointment as CVC to Defence Secretary Kumar without first deciding on his representation to her against the judgement of the Supreme Court.

The apex court had on March 3 quashed the appointment of Thomas as CVC as a chargesheet was pending against him in a corruption case in Kerala. Thomas was appointed as CVC in September 2010.

Thomas has sought a direction to the Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievances that his representation against the Supreme Court verdict be decided within three weeks. Thomas, in his representation to the President, has sought constitution of a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court to review the order.