The Supreme Court Collegium on Thursday recommended five new Chief Justices to the High Courts of Calcutta, Allahabad, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Manipur to replace incumbents who have either been elevated as apex court judges or retired.
The Collegium of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K.M. Joseph in a meeting held during the course of the day finalised the recommendations based on seniority, experience, regional representation and inclusivity.
The Collegium proposed Justice T.S. Sivagnanam as Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court upon the retirement of the incumbent, Justice Prakash Shrivastava, on March 30, 2023. Justice Sivagnanam is currently the seniormost puisne judge in the Calcutta High Court. His parent High Court is Madras.
The Collegium reasoned that the Madras High Court is “one of the largest High Courts, but has only one Chief Justice from among judges whose parent High Court is the Madras High Court, namely Justice S. Manikumar”. Justice Manikumar is presently the Kerala Chief Justice.
The Collegium, in a separate resolution, recommended Justice Pritinker Diwaker as the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. The recommendation has come in anticipation of the elevation of the incumbent, Justice Rajesh Bindal, to the Supreme Court. The Collegium had approved his name for Supreme Court appointment on January 31, 2023.
‘Useful experience’
Justice Diwaker is the seniormost puisne judge at Allahabad. He has been serving there since his transfer in October 2018. The Collegium said his years in the Allahabad High Court would “provide useful experience”.
The Collegium also provided for the vacancy that may arise with the proposed elevation of current Gujarat Chief Justice Aravind Kumar to the Supreme Court. Justice Kumar was recommended along with Justice Bindal.
In Justice Kumar’s place, the judicial body has now recommended Justice Sonia G. Gokani, the seniormost puisne judge at Gujarat, to take over as Chief Justice. The Collegium has sought “priority” in her appointment as she is retiring on February 25, 2023. However, Justice Kumar’s appointment to the apex court has to be cleared first. The Collegium also highlighted that Justice Gokani was drawn from the judicial service of Gujarat and her appointment would bring a “sense of inclusion and facilitate a representation for judges drawn from the services in the office of Chief Justice”.
The Collegium further recommended Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur as Manipur Chief Justice. The office has fallen vacant after Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar was made Supreme Court judge. Justice Thakur’s parent High Court is Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. He is currently serving in Bombay.
“Over a long period of time no judge of Jammu and Kashmir origin has been elevated as Chief Justice of a High Court or as a judge of the Supreme Court,” the Collegium pointed out.
Finally, it recommended Allahabad High Court judge, Justice Ramesh Sinha, to be appointed Chhattisgarh Chief Justice after the retirement of Justice Arup Kumar Goswami on March 10, 2023.
Published - February 10, 2023 12:30 am IST
