Who Is Justice Chelameswar Leading SC’s Vantara SIT? The Firm Voice On IT Act, Aadhaar & NJAC Act

The Supreme Court on Monday revealed that the report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the affairs of Vantara had given a clean chit to the zoological rescue and rehabilitation centre in Gujarat’s Jamnagar.
The SC had formed the SIT, headed by a former apex court judge, on August 25 to look into the allegations of non-compliance with laws and acquisition of animals from India and abroad, particularly elephants. The SC noted on Monday said that the authorities had expressed satisfaction on compliance and regulatory measures at Vantara.

Who were on SC’s SIT? How did they assess Vantara?

The SC ordered the formation of the SIT while hearing two PILs alleging irregularities against Vantara on the basis of reports in the media, social media and diverse complaints from NGOs and wildlife

organisations. The SIT was chaired by former Supreme Court judge Jasti Chelameswar. It also includes former Uttarakhand and Telangana High Court Chief Justice Raghavendra Chauhan, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale, and Additional Customs Commissioner Anish Gupta.

After spending three days at Vantara, the SIT submitted its report in a sealed cover. During its visit, the SIT had issued a questionnaire seeking detailed answers on financial transactions, international acquisition of animals, compliance with wildlife and zoo regulations, housing standards, and procedures followed for international and inter-state transfers.
As per reports, the SIT has also brought in 16 other agencies to assist in the inquiry. It has also summoned forest and wildlife department officials to examine the transfer of elephants and other species to Jamnagar.

Who is former Supreme Court judge Jasti Chelameswar?

Justice Chelameswar was born on June 23, 1953 at Pedda Muttevi, Movya Mandal in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh. Had his earlier education upto Class XII at Hindu High School at Machilipatnam in Krishna District and Graduated in Science (Physics) at Madras Loyola College. Graduated in Law from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, in 1976.
According to the Supreme Court website, he was designated as Senior Counsel in 1995. He was appointed as the Additional Advocate General on October 13, 1995.
He was elevated as the Additional Judge of High Court of Andhra Pradesh on June 23, 1997 and as Judge from May 17, 1999. He was elevated as the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court on May 3, 2007. He was transferred to the Kerala High Court and assumed charge as Chief Justice of Kerala on March 17, 2010. He was elevated as the Judge of Supreme Court of India on October 10, 2011. He retired on June 22, 2018.

IT Act, Privacy, NJAC Act: Justice Chelameswar’s key judgments

IT Act: Justice Chelameswar was a part of the two-judge bench that struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, terming it unconstitutional and violative of the fundamental right to free speech and expression under Article 19 of the Constitution.
Right to privacy: Justice Chelameswar was part of the bench that declared Aadhaar is not mandatory to avail government subsidies and other services.
NJAC Act, collegium system: He was part of the SC’s five-judge bench in 2015 on the National Judicial Appointment Commission (NJAC) Act, which would give the government and the opposition a say in appointments. He was the lone dissenting voice in the 4:1 verdict who spoke against the existing collegium system, calling it “opaque and inaccessible both to public and history, barring occasional leaks”. He supported the NJAC Act.
CJI to press conference on SC: He went head on against then CJI in 2017, over an order in a case of judicial corruption involving Prasad Insitute of Medical Sciences. He was also among the four senior judges who addressed a press conference, expressing their displeasure over they way certain cases were being assigned selectively to benches of “preferences”. He was joined by Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph.

With Agency Inputs