Centre Notifies Appointment Of Two Judges Of Supreme Court & SC Collegium Recommends Transfer Of 3 HC Judges
The Ministry of Law and Justice has notified the appointment of two Judges of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court Collegium headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice S.K. Kaul, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice B.R. Gavai, and Justice Surya Kant has recommended the transfer of three High Court Judges.
The following have been appointed as the Judges of the Supreme Court:
• Sarasa Venkatanarayana Bhatti, Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court.
• Ujjal Bhuyan, Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court.
Chief Justice Sarasa Venkatanarayana Bhatti
The notification dated July 12, 2023 reads, “In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Sarasa Venkatanarayana Bhatti, Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, to be a Judge of the Supreme Court of India with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office.”
CJ Bhatti was born on May 6, 1962, and was appointed as the Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. He is the senior-most and was transferred to the Kerala High Court in March 2019 and is serving as the Chief Justice there since June 1.
Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
The notification reads, “In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Ujjal Bhuyan, Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court, to be a Judge of the Supreme Court of India, with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office.”
CJ Bhuyan was born on August 2, 1964 and was appointed as a Judge of the Gauhati High Court in 2011. He is the senior-most judge and is serving as the Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court since June 28, 2022.
The following Judges have been recommended for the transfer:
• Justice Gaurang Kanth, Judge of the Delhi High Court to the Calcutta High Court.
• Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh, Judge of the Allahabad High Court to the Kerala High Court.
• Justice Manoj Bajaj, Judge of the Punjab & Haryana High Court to the Allahabad High Court.
Justice Gaurang Kanth
The collegium resolution dated July 12, 2023, reads, “The Collegium, therefore, resolves to reiterate its recommendation dated 05 July 2023 to transfer Mr. Justice Gaurang Kanth to the High Court at Calcutta.”
On July 5, 2023, the Collegium proposed the transfer of Justice Kanth for better administration of justice and in terms of the Memorandum of Procedure, consulted one of the Judges of the Supreme Court. The Chief Justices of the High Courts of Delhi and Calcutta whose opinion was sought also conveyed their no objection to the proposed transfer. Justice Kanth, however, vide representation dated July 7, 2023, requested, on grounds indicated therein, for transfer to the High Court of Madhya Pradesh or Rajasthan or any other neighbouring State. The Collegium did not find any merit in the request made by him.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh
On July 5, 2023, the Collegium proposed the transfer of Justice Singh for better administration of justice and in terms of the Memorandum of Procedure, consulted one of the Judges of the Supreme Court. The Chief Justices of the High Courts of Allahabad and Kerala also conveyed their no objection to the proposed transfer. Justice Singh, however, vide representation dated July 11, 2023, requested for transfer to nearby States such as Delhi, Punjab & Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, or Rajasthan. The Collegium did not find any merit in the request made by him.
Justice Manoj Bajaj
On July 5, 2023, the Collegium proposed the transfer of Justice Bajaj for better administration of justice and in terms of the Memorandum of Procedure, consulted one of the Judges of the Supreme Court. The Chief Justices of the High Courts of Punjab & Haryana and Allahabad also conveyed their no objection to the proposed transfer. Justice Bajaj, however, vide representation dated July 11, 2023, requested to continue to function at Punjab & Haryana High Court. The Collegium did not find any merit in the request made by him.