New Delhi: Swallowing its decision, the Modi government on Thursday back tracked and restored Justice Ashok Iqbal Singh Cheema as acting chairman of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) – a position from which he was removed a few days back and replaced by Justice M. Venugopal as acting chairman.
Yielding to the pressure from a bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana also comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hima Kohli, the Centre while rolling back its decision to appoint Justice Venugopal as acting chairman of NCLAT removing Justice Cheema just 10 days before his retirement, initially offered to restore Justice Cheema as head of NCLAT “on paper” only but he will not be allowed to go to office. However, the Centre backed off and agreed with the suggestion from the bench that Justice Cheema will continue as acting chairperson of the NCLAT to allow him to pronounce the judgments he has already reserved and in the meanwhile Justice Venugopal will…