The offical residence of former Justice L. K. Mishra. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, June 29: Hundred days after a compulsory retirement notice was served on district judge Lalit Kumar Mishra and he was demoted to an additional judge of the Orissa High Court, the stalemate continues.

The state home department had, in its notification issued on March 9, said Mishra, then a district judge, would retire from service with immediate effect with an allowance for three months. He had refused to receive the special advance of Rs 1, 54,461 in lieu of the three months’ notice.

The registrar (administration) of the high court had warned through a notice in a local Oriya daily that appropriate action would be taken if Mishra did not receive the special advance in the shape of bank draft from the special officer (administration) within 15 days from the date of publication of notice.

However, after the elapse of 100 days, nothing seems to have changed at CB-1, the official residential quarter for L.K. Mishra (in the picture taken on June 28). Though Mishra was demoted on January 17 this year, he continued to remain on leave without joining duty. His compulsory retirement notification was issued in March 9. A public notice had followed on March 21 when he refused to accept the notification.

A full bench of the high court had issued his demotion order and appointed him as Kalahandi district judge on January 17 after non-receipt of order confirming him as a permanent judge.

The Orissa High Court, sources said, had earlier recommended for his removal on grounds of misconduct and misuse of official capacity in a selection test for subordinate judges.

The high court, in a letter to Chief Justice of India, K.G. Balakrishnan had cited an inquiry by acting Chief Justice I.M. Quddusi and recommended “suitable action” and “reconsideration of the decision to appoint him as a judge”.