New CJs of Sikkim, AP, J&K, Orissa, Madras, MP, Uttarakhand and Telangana HCs notified

The Central Government, on New Year's Eve, appointed Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice JK Maheshwari as the new Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court while the Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court Arup Kumar Goswami has been appointed as Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

It also notified the appointment of Justice S.Muralidhar, who is presently a judge in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, as Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court. The incumbent Chief Justice of Orissa High Court Mohammad Rafiq has been appointed as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

The senior-most judge of the Delhi High Court, Justice Hima Kohli, has been appointed as Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court. The incumbent Chief Justice of Telangana High Court RS Chauhan has been appointed as Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court.

Justice Sanjib Banerjee, Judge of the Calcutta High Court, has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court.

Justice Pankaj Mithal, Judge of the Allahabad High Court, has been appointed as the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

Centre also notified the transfer of Justice Satish Chandra Sharma from Madhya Pradesh to the Karnataka High Court and the transfer of Justice Joymalya Bagchi, from the Calcutta High Court to the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Justice Ravi Vijaykumar Malimath, Judge of the Uttarakhand High Court, has also been transferred to Himachal Pradesh High Court while Madras High Court judge Vineet Kothari has been transferred to the Gujarat High Court.

Madhya Pradesh High Court judge Sanjay Yadav has been transferred to the Allahabad High Court.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court Collegium made recommendations to the Centre to give effect to these transfers and appointments.

Yesterday, the Andhra Pradesh HC called for transparency in the functioning of the Supreme Court Collegium. Justice Rakesh Kumar, who retired today, said so in the wake of the Collegium's recommendation to transfer out the AP HC Chief Justice JK Maheshwari.