JUSTICE AMJAD SAYED ELEVATED AS CHIEF JUSTICE OF HIMACHAL HC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court collegium on Tuesday elevated five judges as chief justices of high courts, and transferred Satish Chandra Sharma, chief justice of Telangana high court, to the Delhi high court as its chief. The recommendations made by the collegium, comprising Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and justices UU Lalit and AM Khanwilkar of the apex court, will come into effect following orders issued by Centre.

The collegium elevated the Delhi high court’s acting chief justice Vipin Sanghi as chief justice (CJ) of Uttarakhand high court, two judges of Bombay high court – justice Amjad A Sayed as CJ of Himachal Pradesh high court and justice Sambhaji Shiwaji Shinde – as CJ of Rajasthan high court. Gujarat high court judge Rashmin M Chhaya was elevated as CJ of Gauhati high court, and justice Ujjal Bhuyan of Telangana HC as CJ of same HC.

In three high courts, appointment was overdue as the posts of CJ was lying vacant in Uttarakhand since December 24, while at Rajasthan and Delhi, it was due since March 7 and 13, respectively. In Himachal Pradesh, the incumbent CJ Mohammad Rafiq will be demitting office on May 24, while the vacancy at Gauhati arose following the elevation of CJ Sudhanshu Dhulia as judge of the Supreme Court on May 7. Justice Dhulia took oath as judge of Supreme Court on May 9.

Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, who has been recommended as the new CJ of Delhi high court, belongs to the Madhya Pradesh high court and was appointed as a high court judge in January 2008. Similarly, Justice Bhuyan recommended as the CJ of Telangana high court belongs to the Gauhati high court. Justice Sanghi has been recommended to head Uttarakhand high court.