The Centre Monday cleared the appointments of three advocates – Shailesh Pramod Brahme, Firdosh Phiroze Pooniwalla, and Jitendra Shantilal Jain – as additional judges of the Bombay High Court for a period of two years. The Supreme Court had last month recommended their names as judges of the Bombay HC. “In exercise of the power conferred by Article 224 (1) of the Constitution of India, the President of India, after consultation with Chief Justice of India, is pleased to appoint Shailesh Pramod Brahme, Firdosh Phiroze Pooniwalla and Jitendra Shantilal Jain as Additional Judges of the Bombay High Court for a period of two years, in that order of seniority, with effect from the date they assume charge of their respective offices,” the government notification reads. On May 2, the Supreme Court Collegium comprising Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph had recommended the elevation of three advocates as judges of the HC including Pooniwalla, who the Intelligence Bureau noted had earlier worked under a lawyer who wrote an article alleging that there is a lack of freedom of speech/expression in the country in the last five to six years. The Collegium, comprising Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, had observed that “the views which have been expressed by a former senior of Pooniwalla have no bearing on his own competence, ability or credentials for appointment as a Judge of the High Court of Bombay.” The Bombay HC is functioning with 63 judges, 40 permanent judges, and 23 additional judges. However, the sanctioned strength of the Bombay HC, which is the second-largest in the country after the Allahabad High Court, is 94. With the elevation of three lawyers as additional judges of the HC, its strength will go up to 66.
