New Delhi: Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju has lashed out at the Government’s critics and the Opposition parties for their attack on the appointment of Justice (Retd) Abdul Nazeer as the new Governor of Andhra Pradesh.
“The whole eco-system is once again in full swing on the appointment of a Governor. They should better understand that they can no more treat India as their personal fiefdom,” Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said.
“Now, India will be guided by the people of India as per the provisions of the Constitution of India,” Mr Rijiju tweeted.
Government on February 12 appointed six new faces as Governors, including Justice S Abdul Nazeer (retd), who was part of the 2019 Ayodhya verdict, and four others besides carrying out a rejig of the gubernatorial posts in seven states.
Justice Nazeer replaces incumbent Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, has been shifted to Chhattisgarh. Justice Nazeer, who retired on January 4, has been part of several important verdicts, including the politically sensitive Ayodhya land dispute, instant ‘triple talaq’ and the one that declared the ‘right to privacy’ a fundamental right.
Elevated as an Apex Court judge on February 17, 2017, Justice Nazeer was part of several Constitution benches which delivered judgements on issues ranging from the demonetisation of currency notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 denominations in 2016 to the reservation for Marathas in admission and Government jobs and the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression of high public functionaries.
He was part of a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, which had, on November 9, 2019, cleared the way for the construction of a Ram Temple at Ayodhya. The apex Court directed the Centre to allot a five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for a mosque.
The Justice Nazeer-led five-judge Constitution benches delivered two separate verdicts this year, including the one which, by a majority of 4:1, validated the legality of the Centre’s 2016 decision to demonetise the Rs 1000 and Rs 500 denomination currency notes.
President of India Draupadi Murmu, on February 12, appointed Manipur Governor La Ganesan as the next Governor of Nagaland. Ganesan was appointed as the 17th Governor of Manipur in August 2021. Sushri Anusuiya Uikye, the incumbent Governor of Chhattisgarh, will replace him.
Ganesan also served as Governor of West Bengal (additional charge) from July 18 to November 17, 2022.
It may be mentioned that Prof Jagdish Mukhi, besides being the Governor of Assam, was given an additional charge of Nagaland. The President appointed new Governors for Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur and Sikkim.
