Amid row, collegium keeps Guj HC judge transfer on hold
The Supreme Court collegium on Thursday made public its resolution recommending the transfer of seven high court judges, even as it decided to put on hold moving out a Gujarat high court judge following strong protests from the lawyers in that state.
According to the resolution, two judges each from the high courts of Andhra Pradesh and Madras have been recommended for the transfer, while three judges from Telangana are likely to be moved out.
From the Telangana high court, justices Lalitha Kanneganti (to Karnataka HC), D Nagarjun (to Madras HC) and A Abhishek Reddy (to Patna HC) are being transferred.
The Madras HC judges recommended for the transfer are acting chief justice T Raja (to Rajasthan HC) and justice VM Velumani (to Calcutta HC). From the Andhra Pradesh high court, the collegium has sought to transfer justices Battu Devanand (to Madras HC) and D Ramesh (to Allahabad HC).
According to people aware of the matter, the proposal to transfer Gujarat HC judge Nikhil S Kariel has been put on hold.
In the first collegium meeting headed by the new Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, on November 16, a decision was taken to transfer justices Raja, Reddy and Kariel for administrative reasons.
The move, however, triggered protests from high court lawyers from these states, and several bodies resolved to strike work.
On Monday, the CJI, accompanied by justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MR Shah, met the delegations representing the Gujarat High Court Advocates’ Association (GHCAA) and the Telangana High Court Advocates’ Association (THCAA), and assured the lawyers’ outfits of looking into their objections.
At the same time, CJI Chandrachud “strongly” conveyed to the delegations that the lawyers should call off their strikes immediately and facilitate regular functioning of the courts.
Later, the lawyers’ bodies called off their strikes, even as they continued their protests against the proposed transfers.
In a related development on Thursday, the GHCAA made another representation to the CJI opposing the transfer of justice Vipul Pancholi to Patna HC.
Another resolution of the collegium recommended the names of two lawyers and six judicial officers for appointment as judges of Rajasthan HC.