HC ADDITIONAL JUDGE JAIN GETS EXTENSION
Justice Ramendra Jain, an additional judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court, was granted six-month extension on his last working day after the Supreme Court collegium reiterated its recommendation to the government. HT on Thursday reported how Justice Jain’s appointment was the latest flashpoint between the government and the apex court collegium.
NEW DELHI: Justice Ramendra Jain, an additional judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court, was granted six-month extension on his last working day after the Supreme Court collegium reiterated its recommendation to the government.
HT on Thursday reported how Justice Jain’s appointment was the latest flashpoint between the government and the apex court collegium with the latter upholding its earlier decision to recommend him as a permanent judge. A notification in this regard was issued by the law ministry.
The ministry had returned the recommendation of March 26 for Justice Jain’s elevation, suggesting instead he be transferred out of the Punjab and Haryana HC. Additional judges are normally appointed for a period of two years and most of them are elevated as permanent judges within this period.
The collegium, which is responsible for the appointment of judges to high courts and the Supreme Court, had reiterated Jain’s name on April 17 for appointment as a permanent judge of the HC, in response to a letter from the government to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra asking it to reconsider justice Jain’s appointment.
Passing a fresh resolution for the appointment of justice Jain , the SC collegium — comprising Misra, justices Jasti Chelameswar and Ranjan Gogoi — wrote back to the government saying that Jain’s appointment must be “processed most expeditiously keeping in view that his current term is going to expire shortly”.
“Justice Jain has been performing well in the Punjab and Haryana high court and no information warranting his transfer has come to our notice. The collegium is of the view that he be allowed to continue to function in that High Court, keeping in view the depleted Judge-strength of the High Court. The Collegium resolves to recommend accordingly,” the resolution said.
“We do not see any good ground for linking the proposal of transfer of Justice Jain with the proposal for his appointment as permanent judge and even for revisiting, at this crucial juncture, decision dated March 26, 2018, for his appointment as permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court,” the collegiums had resolved.