3 HC Judges Recommended for SC

In a decisive move to revamp the higher judiciary, the Supreme Court collegium, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai, on Monday made a flurry of significant recommendations in its first meeting, including three elevations to the apex court, appointments of chief justices to five high courts, shuffling of four incumbent high court chiefs, and the transfer of 22 high court judges across the country.

- Utkarsh Anand

NEW DELHI:

The collegium comprises the first five judges in the top court. Apart from CJI Gavai, Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, JK Maheshwari and BV Nagarathna are the members of the judges' selection body.

The meeting, which Hindustan Times had first reported would take place on May 26, marked a robust beginning to CJI Gavai's six-month tenure as the head of the Indian judiciary. As per HT's May 23 report, the meeting was expected to fill three impending vacancies in the apex court, deliberate on high court leadership, and consider judge transfers -- all of which were addressed in Monday's recommendations.

The collegium has recommended the elevation of two high court chiefs to the Supreme Court: Justices NV Anjaria, the Karnataka high court's chief justice with Gujarat as his parent high court, and Vijay Bishnoi, the Gauhati high court's chief, with Rajasthan as his parent high court. Justice AS Chandurkar, a judge of the Bombay HC, is the third name recommended by the collegium. Once approved by the Union government, these recommendations will take the Supreme Court to its sanctioned strength of 34 judges.