The Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, has recommended a one-year extension for nine additional judges of the Calcutta High Court. The collegium, which also includes Justices Sanjiv Khanna and BR Gavai, is responsible for deciding appointments and extensions for high court judges. Earlier this year, in April, the Calcutta High Court Collegium had forwarded a unanimous recommendation to appoint Justices Biswaroop Chowdhury, Partha Sarathi Sen, Prasenjit Biswas, Uday Kumar, Ajay Kumar Gupta, Supratim Bhattacharya, Partha Sarathi Chatterjee, Apurba Sinha Ray, and Md. Shabbar Rashidi as permanent judges. The Supreme Court Collegium’s recent recommendation extends their terms by one year.
Bengal CM, Governor yet to convey their views
The collegium did not recommend the names of the judges for appointment as permanent judges of the high court at this stage. The resolution said the high court collegium, on April 29, had unanimously recommended the names of nine additional judges for appointment as permanent Judges. The top court said the Chief Minister and the Governor of the State of West Bengal have not conveyed their views on the above recommendation.
What did Supreme Court say?
“The Department of Justice has forwarded the above recommendation by invoking Para 14 of the Memorandum of Procedure which provides that if the comments of the Constitutional authorities in the State are not received within the prescribed time-frame, it should be presumed by the Minister of Law and Justice that the Governor and the Chief Minister have nothing to add to the proposal and proceed accordingly,” the resolution added.
The apex court collegium said that in order to ascertain the suitability of the additional judges for being appointed as permanent Judges, it consulted SC judges conversant with the affairs of the Calcutta High Court. After considering the suitability and other aspects, the collegium took a view that the additional judges can be appointed for a fresh term of one year with effect from August 31, 2024.
(With inputs from agencies)
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