Supreme Court Collegium Recommends New Chief Justices For Multiple High Courts

The Supreme Court Collegium has put forth a recommendation to the Centre for the appointment of new Chief Justices in several High Courts, including Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Madras, and Meghalaya.

Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud led the Collegium, which highlighted existing vacancies for Chief Justice positions in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Madras, and Kerala. The Collegium also noted that potential vacancies are likely in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Meghalaya.

Key Recommendations For Chief Justice Appointments:

The Collegium recommends Justice Manmohan for the Chief Justice role in the Delhi High Court.

Currently serving as the Acting Chief Justice, he is third on the All India Seniority list of High Court Judges.

The Collegium stated, “In accordance with the Memorandum of Procedure, Justice Manmohan is eligible for appointment to his parent High Court.”

For the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the Collegium proposed Justice Rajiv Shakdher as Chief Justice, filling the position vacated by Justice M S Ramachandra Rao’s transfer to the Jharkhand High Court.

Justice Shakdher, ranking fourth in seniority, will assume the role following the retirement of Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi on 19 July 2024.

The Collegium however recommends Justice Suresh Kumar Kait for the Chief Justice position of the High Court for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, succeeding Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, who has been elevated to the Supreme Court.

Justice Kait, a senior judge since 2008 and fifth in seniority, will retire on May 23, 2025.

The Collegium also endorsed Justice G S Sandhawalia as the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

As the seniormost puisne judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, many consider his appointment fitting due to the court’s significant caseload.

In Kerala, the Collegium recommends Justice Nitin Madhukar Jamdar for Chief Justice following Justice Ashish J. Desai’s retirement on July 4.

Justice Jamdar brings extensive judicial and administrative experience as the seniormost puisne judge of the Bombay High Court.

For the Meghalaya High Court, the Collegium plans to appoint Justice Tashi Rabstan as Chief Justice following Justice S. Vaidyanathan’s retirement on 16 August.

Justice Rabstan, appointed in 2013, will be the first Chief Justice from Ladakh, a region previously underrepresented in judicial leadership.

Lastly, Justice K.R. Shriram, the second seniormost puisne Judge of the Bombay High Court, has been recommended for the Chief Justice role in Madras, filling the vacancy left by Justice Sanjay V. Gangapurwala’s retirement on 23 May.

Commitment To Judicial Leadership:

These recommendations reflect the Collegium’s commitment to ensuring capable leadership within India’s judiciary as it addresses ongoing vacancies and transitions. The appointments are crucial for maintaining judicial efficiency and integrity across the nation.

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