New Delhi: The Supreme Court collegium on Tuesday modified its earlier resolution dated July 11 regarding appointment of the chief justices for the high courts of Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
SC collegium modified its earlier recommendation in respect of three three names
The apex court collegium comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna and BR Gavai, in its fresh resolution dated September 17, has modified its earlier resolution in respect of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait, Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Tashi Rabstan after taking into consideration all relevant factors and in supersession of its earlier recommendations.
SC collegium’s July 11 resolution for appointment of chief justices of seven high courts is still pending with Centre
The Supreme Court collegium had in its July 11 recommendations recommended names for the appointment of chief justices for seven high courts – Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Madras and Meghalaya.
As per the July 11 resolution, which is still pending with the Centre, Justice Manmohan, who is the acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, was recommended as the chief justice of the Delhi High Court, Justice Rajiv Shakdher as chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, Justice Suresh Kumar Kait as chief justice of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, Justice GS Sandhawalia as chief justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Justice Nitin Madhukar Jamdar as the chief justice of Kerala High Court, Justice Tashi Rabstan as the chief justice of the Meghalaya High Court and Justice KR Shriram as chief justice of the Madras High Court.
The collegium, in its September 17 resolution, modified its earlier recommendation in respect of three names. The collegium, in its September 17 resolution, has recommended Justice Suresh Kumar Kait be appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh, Justice GS Sandhawalia be appointed as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh on the retirement of Justice Rajiv Shakdher on 18 October 2024 and Justice Tashi Rabstan be appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The collegium also recommended that Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji be appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court of Meghalaya.
The September 17 resolution will not affect earlier recommendations in respect of four names
The collegium, in its September 17 resolution, said, “This resolution will not affect the recommendations made in terms of the Minutes dated 11 July 2024 as regards the proposals in respect of Mr Justice Manmohan, Mr Justice Rajiv Shakdher, Mr Justice Nitin Madhukar Jamdar and Mr Justice KR Shriram.”
The Centre had recently told a bench headed by CJI Chandrachud that “sensitive material” with the government is delaying the implementation of the recommendations of the Supreme Court collegium for appointments of chief justices to high courts.
