GOVT NOTIFIES APPOINTMENT OF 6 HC CHIEF JUSTICES

NEW DELHI: The government on Sunday notified appointments of new chief justices for six high courts in the country, over a month after recommendations were made by the Supreme Court’s collegium.

The month-long delay in the appointments was due to the government’s initial reservations against one of the recommendations, HT reported first on June 17.

After the matter was resolved following discussions, the approval came through around a week ago, followed by notifications on Sunday, appointing new chief justices in the high courts of Uttarakhand, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gauhati and Telangana.

Four of these high courts – Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gauhati – currently do not have full-time chief justices and are being headed by acting chiefs.

Following the government’s approval, Delhi high court’s acting chief justice Vipin Sanghi will be appointed as chief justice of Uttarakhand high court, while Satish Chandra Sharma, chief justice of the Telangana high court, will take over as Delhi high court’s regular chief.

Two judges of Bombay high court, justices Amjad A Sayed and Sambhaji Shivaji Shinde, will be appointed as chief justices of the high courts of Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, respectively.

Gujarat high court judge Rashmin M Chhaya will be elevated as chief justice of Gauhati high court, while justice Ujjal Bhuyan of Telangana high court will be elevated as chief justice of the same high court.

Appointments were overdue in 3 HCs

In three of the high courts, appointments were overdue. The posts of chief justice were lying vacant in Uttarakhand since December 24, in Rajasthan since March 7, and in Delhi since March 13.

THE SC COLLEGIUM ON MAY 17 PASSED THE RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE APPOINTMENT OF NEW CHIEF JUSTICES IN 6 HCS