Centre Notifies Appointment Of Five Additional Judges As Permanent Judges Of Madras HC, Transfers Justice Shamim Ahmed From Allahabad HC

The judges who have been elevated to permanent status are:

1. Justice Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri
2. Justice Pillaipakkam Bahukutumbi Balaji
3. Justice Kandhasami Kulandaivelu Ramakrishnan
4. Justice Ramachandran Kalaimathi
5. Justice K. Govindarajan Thilakavadi

The process began when the Collegium of the Madras High Court unanimously put forth their recommendation for these additional judges to be appointed as permanent judges on April 29, 2024. This recommendation received the support of both the Chief Minister and the Governor of Tamil Nadu.

Following this, on September 10, 2024, the Supreme Court Collegium recommendation, paved the way for the official appointment of these five judges as permanent members of the High Court.

The notification dated September 20, 2024 read, “In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint (i) Smt. Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri (ii) Shri Pillaipakkarn Bahukuturnbi Balaji, (iii) Shri Kandhasarni Kulandaivelu Rarnakrishnan, (iv) Smt. Rarnachandran Kalairnathi and (v) Smt. K. Govindarajan Thilakavadi, Additional Judges of the Madras High Court, to be Judges of that High Court with effect from the date they assume charge of their respective offices.”

In another notification the Ministry notified the transfer of Justice Shamim Ahmed from the Allahabad High Court to the Madras High Court.

The Supreme Court Collegium, which includes Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy, had previously rejected Justice Ahmed's request for a reconsideration of this transfer on August 30. The transfer proposal was initially made on August 21, citing the need for "better administration of justice." As part of their deliberations, the Collegium consulted a senior judge familiar with the workings of the Allahabad High Court, along with both the Chief Justice of Allahabad and the Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court.

Since the Collegium found no substantial reasons to support Justice Ahmed's objections to the transfer, it reaffirmed its earlier recommendation during the recent notification.

The notification dated September 20, 2024 read, “In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 222 of the Constitution of India, the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of, India, is pleased to transfer Shri Justice Shamim Ahmed, Judge of the Allahabad High Court, to be a Judge of the Madras High Court and to direct him to assume charge of his office in the Madras High Court.”