[dropcap]S[/dropcap]UPREME Court Collegium has decided to recommend the names of four Chief Justices of High Courts for the appointment as judges of the Supreme Court.
The collegiums comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SA Bobde, N V Ramana, Arun Mishra and Rohinton F Nariman, during its meeting on August 28 decided to recommend the name of Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Krishna Murari, Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court Justice S. Ravindra Bhat, Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court Justice V. Ramasubramanian, and Chief Justice of Kerala High Court Justice Hrishikesh Roy.
The Collegium resolution read, “While recommending the names of Mr Justice Krishna Murari, Mr Justice S. RavindraBhat, Mr Justice V. Ramasubramanian, and Mr Justice Hrishikesh Roy, the Collegium has taken into consideration combined seniority on all-India basis of Chief Justices and senior puisne Judges of High Courts, apart from their competence, conduct and integrity.”
“The Collegium has also kept in mind the desirability of giving due representation on the Bench of the Supreme Court, as far as possible, to all the High Courts. The Collegium is also conscious of the fact that some High Courts are going to be unrepresented in the Supreme Court,” it added.
Justice Krishna Murari was appointed as Judge of the Allahabad High Court on January 7, 2004, and was elevated as Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court on June 2, 2018. He stands at Sl. No.5 in the combined seniority of High Court Judges on all-India basis.
Justice S. Ravindra Bhat was appointed as Judge of the Delhi High Court on July 16, 2004, and was elevated as Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court on May 5, 2019. He stands at Sl. No.12 in the combined seniority of High Court Judges on all-India basis.
Justice V. Ramasubramanian was appointed as Judge of the Madras High Court on July 31, 2006 and after serving as Judge, on transfer, in the common High Court for the States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and thereafter in the Telangana High Court, was elevated as Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court on June 22, 2019. He stands at Sl. No.42 in the combined seniority of High Court Judges on all-India basis.
Justice Hrishikesh Roy was appointed as Judge of the Gauhati High Court on October 12, 2006, and was elevated as Chief Justice of Kerala High Court on August 8, 2018. He stands at Sl. No.46 in the combined seniority of High Court Judges on all-India basis. In the seniority of Judges hailing from Gauhati High Court, Mr Justice Hrishikesh Roy stands at Sl.No.1.
If Centre notifies their appointments after accepting the recommendation of the Collegium, Justices
Murari, Bhat, Ramasubramanian and Roy will have tenure in the apex court till July 8, 2023; October 20, 2023; June 29, 2023, and January 31, 2025, respectively.
On August 9, President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2019 which increased the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from the existing 31 to 34.
Read the Collegium resolution here:
[pdfviewer]https://cdn.theleaflet.in/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/30203736/1.-2019-August-28-SC-Apptt.pdf[/pdfviewer]
