New Delhi, May 29 (UNI) In a significant development, the Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the transfer of 22 High Court judges across various high courts in India, including six repatriations to their parent courts. The reshuffle is aimed at ensuring balanced judicial functioning and improving efficiency across the judiciary.
The six judges who are proposed to be returned to their original High Courts,
Justice V. Kameswar Rao to the Delhi High Court
Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma to the Rajasthan High Court
Justice Battu Devanand to the Andhra Pradesh High Court
Justice Sudhir Singh to the Patna High Court
Justice C. Sumalatha and Justice Annireddy Abhishek Reddy to the Telangana High Court
Interestingly, these judges had earlier been transferred from their parent courts under the Collegium led by then Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.
The Delhi High Court is set to receive five judges from other high courts:
Justice V. Kameswar Rao (Repatriation from Karnataka HC; appointed on April 17, 2013; retires August 6, 2027)
Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre (Bombay HC)
Justice Vivek Chaudhary (Allahabad HC)
Justice Om Prakash Shukla (Allahabad HC)
Justice Anil Kshetarpal (Punjab & Haryana HC)
Justice Arun Kumar Monga (Rajasthan HC)
Justice Rao’s return will make him the senior-most judge at the Delhi HC, provided Justice Vibhu Bakhru is elevated as Chief Justice of the Karnataka HC.
This reshuffle is expected to affect the seniority of Justice Pratibha Singh, who will move from Third to Fifth position, as Justices Sambre and Chaudhary are senior to her.
Other Major Transfers:
Calcutta High Court
Justice Sujoy Paul (from Telangana HC; originally from MP HC; currently Acting CJ at Telangana)
Justice Lanusungkum Jamir (from Gauhati HC)
Bombay High Court
Justice Suman Shyam (from Gauhati HC)
Justice Shree Chandrashekhar (originally from Jharkhand HC, currently at Rajasthan HC)
Punjab & Haryana High Court will have Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra (from Allahabad HC)
Orissa High Court will have Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak (from Gauhati HC)
Karnataka High Court will have Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh (from Kerala HC; originally from Allahabad HC), Justice Jayant Banerji (from Allahabad HC)
With Chief Justice N.V. Anjaria being recommended for elevation to the Supreme Court and Justice V. Kameswar Rao returning to the Delhi HC, Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh will become the fifth in seniority at the Karnataka HC.
Madhya Pradesh High Court will have Justice Vivek Kumar Singh (from Madras HC; originally from Allahabad HC)
Andhra Pradesh High Court will have Justice Battu Devanand (Repatriation from Madras HC)
Patna High Court will have Justice Sudhir Singh (Repatriation from Punjab & Haryana HC)
Telangana High Court will have Justice C. Sumalatha (Repatriation from Karnataka HC), Justice Lalitha Kanneganti (from Karnataka HC; originally from Andhra Pradesh HC)
Pending Recommendations:
As of now, 29 recommendations for High Court judges are pending with the government. Since November 2022, 15 judges from SC/ST categories have been appointed to various High Courts, reflecting efforts towards inclusivity in the judiciary.
This reshuffle marks one of the largest transfer recommendations in recent years and is likely to bring a significant shift in the functioning and composition of several High Courts across the country.
The Collegium has also recommended the elevation of three High Court judges to the Supreme Court, which has been approved by the Centre and will take oath on May 30.
Justice N.V. Anjaria (Chief Justice, Karnataka High Court)
Justice Vijay Bishnoi
Justice A.S. Chandurkar
Additionally, Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma will be the Third senior-most judge upon return to the Rajasthan High Court.
Justice Suman Shyam will be 10th in seniority at the Bombay High Court.
Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra will rank Second in seniority at Punjab & Haryana High Court.
