SC appoints Justice Jawad Rahim as acting chairperson of NGT

The Supreme Court has appointed Justice Jawad Rahim, judicial member of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), as the acting chairperson of the green panel.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said yesterday that the new acting chairperson will discharge his duties until a regular appointment is made and will take part in selection process of other members of the NGT. 

The bench, however, made it clear that this appointment is an interim arrangement and shall



not be construed to be a final determination of the seniority between Justice Rahim and Justice R S Rathore by the apex court. 

The order came on a plea of the NGT Bar Association that said that due to the non-appointment of chairperson at the NGT, selection process to fill up vacancies has been stalled. 

The bench was informed that Justice Rahim and Justice R S Rathore are the judicial members of the NGT and both were appointed to the NGT on the same date that was 12 January 2016.