Justice AK Sikri, who reached the Supreme Court later than usual on Thursday, quipped that he came to work despite being unwell because “people make all kinds of assumptions” these days.
Justice Sikri presided over court number 2 at 11.30am, an hour later than the scheduled time. “I was not well and was told to take rest, but I said I will go to court for some time. These days people make all kinds of assumptions,” justice Sikri told lawyers in the courtroom in jest.
The apex court judge withdrew his consent for a place on the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal (CSAT) on Sunday, hours after a media report over his nomination to the London-based body sparked a political row. Justice Sikri voted with the government in a three-member committee to remove CBI chief Alok Verma last week.
A person familiar with the developments said last Sunday that justice Sikri’s consent for the CSAT position by the government was taken in the first week of December, when the judgment in the Alok Verma had not even been delivered.