Appointment on merit: Sathasivam

• What is wrong if I want to help the people of Kerala after retirement?
• “Legal fraternity should be happy with my appointment”

Thiruvananthpuram: A day after the Central Government appointed P Sathasivam as the Governor of Kerala, overlooking all objections from the Opposition parties and the judiciary, the former Chief Justice of India on Thursday denied any wrongdoing and said his appointment was done on merit.

Speaking to a TV news channel, Sathasivam said, “I retired four months ago and there is no controversy in my appointment as Kerala Governor."

Sathasivam also categorically rejected that it was a political appointment and said legal fraternity should be happy with my appointment.

Commenting on the contentious issue, retired apex court judge KT Thomas had said that retired Supreme Court and high court judges should take a two-year "quarantine period" from any posts barring that of a judicial inquiry commission.

There is nothing wrong in the appointment of Sathasivam as the Governor of Kerala, newly-appointed Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh said.

"What is wrong in it if a former CJI is made Governor of Kerala. He is very eligible, honest and has a long experience of judiciary," Singh said.

Sathasivam was accorded a warm reception on his arrival on Thursday evening.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, his cabinet colleagues and senior officials received Sathasivam, who is to be sworn in by Acting Chief Justice of Kerala High Court Ashok Bhushan at a function at the Raj Bhavan on Friday.

"Ex-CJI has impeccable integrity, knowledge of constitution and he's not corrupt, no reason for controversy," BJP leader Sambit Patra said.

Sathasivam had retired as the CJI in April this year and he is the first former CJI to be appointed as a Governor.