In a move to strengthen the judiciary, the Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, has recommended the appointment of three advocates as judges for the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The decision, made on October 15, also includes recommendations for judges in the Kerala and Karnataka High Courts.
The names of advocates Maheswara Rao Kuncheam, Thoota Chandra Dhana Sekar, and Challa Gunaranjan, all practicing in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, have been forwarded to the Centre for consideration. Their seniority will be determined according to existing practice. The three-member collegium, which includes Justices Sanjiv Khanna and B.R. Gavai, made the recommendation following a May 15 proposal from the Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh in consultation with two senior-most judges.
In a separate resolution, the collegium also recommended the elevation of four senior judicial officers as judges of the Kerala High Court. The names proposed for appointment are K.V. Jayakumar, Muralee Krishna S, Jobin Sebastian, and P.V. Balakrishnan.
Additionally, the collegium reiterated an earlier recommendation regarding the appointment of judicial officer P. Krishna Kumar as a judge of the Kerala High Court. While four other officers recommended in the same proposal have already been appointed, there has been no update from the government regarding Mr. Kumar’s appointment. The Supreme Court has requested that the new appointments in Kerala be ranked below Mr. Kumar in seniority, reflecting their order of recommendation.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court has urged the Centre to appoint Justice Siddaiah Rachaiah, currently an additional judge of the Karnataka High Court, as a permanent judge. The Collegium emphasized the need for a swift decision, as Justice Rachaiah’s term as an additional judge is set to expire on November 7, 2024.
These recommendations are part of ongoing efforts to ensure the smooth functioning of the judiciary by filling vacant positions across India’s high courts.
Sources By Agencies
