Centre Notifies Appointment Of Two Judicial Officers As Judges Of Patna HC

This elevation comes following a recommendation from the Supreme Court Collegium, which put forward the names of these two officers on September 24.

The process of their appointment began when the Patna High Court Collegium submitted the names of Singh and Pandey to the Supreme Court Collegium on May 7 of this year. The recommendations received the support of both the Chief Minister and the Governor of Bihar, further bolstering their candidacies.

In accordance with the Memorandum of Procedure, consultations were held with judges of the Supreme Court who are well-versed in the affairs of the Patna High Court. This was done to evaluate the fitness and suitability of the candidates. Additionally, the inputs from the Union Department of Justice were taken into account during the selection process.

Regarding Justice Shashi Bhushan Prasad Singh, it was highlighted that he was serving as the Registrar (Vigilance) of the High Court and has maintained a commendable personal and professional reputation, with no adverse findings concerning his integrity. Similarly, the Collegium noted positive remarks about Justice Ashok Kumar Pandey, who is currently the Director of the Bihar Judicial Academy. Based on these evaluations, both candidates were deemed suitable for their new roles as judges of the Patna High Court.

The notification dated October 01, 2024 read, “In exercise of power conferred by Clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India , the President is pleased to appoint S/Shri (i) Shashi Bhushan Prasad Singh and (ii) Ashok Kumar Pandey to be Judges of the Patna High Court, in that order of seniority, with effect from the day they assume charge of their respective offices.”