The Supreme Court Collegium on Tuesday tweaked its July 11 recommendations for appointment of the Chief Justices of seven high courts (HC). Noting that its July 11 recommendations “have been pending with the Government since then”, the Collegium, comprising CJI D Y Chandrachud and Justices Sanjeev Khanna and B R Gavai, made changes for four High Courts: Madhya Pradesh; J&K and Ladakh; Himachal Pradesh; and Meghalaya. Justice Suresh Kumar Kait, a senior puisne judge of the Delhi High Court, has been recommended as the CJ of the Madhya Pradesh High Court instead of the J&K and Ladakh High Court. Justice Tashi Rabstan of the J&K and Ladakh High Court has been recommended as CJ of the same High Court. He was earlier proposed as CJ of Meghalaya High Court. Similarly, Justice G S Sandhawalia, the senior-most puisne judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, has been recommended as CJ of the Himachal High Court. The Collegium’s July 11 pick for Himachal was Delhi High Court judge Justice Rajiv Shakdher, who is due to retire on October 18 this year. For posting as the CJ of Meghalaya High Court, the Collegium recommended Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji of the Calcutta High Court. Noting that its July 11 recommendations “have been pending with the Government since then”, the Collegium said it had made the new recommendations “on reconsideration, after taking into consideration all relevant factors and in supersession of the earlier recommendations as regards the proposals in respect of Mr Justice Suresh Kumar Kait, Mr Justice G S Sandhawalia and Mr Justice Tashi Rabstan…”. Of the seven CJs proposed on July 11, the others whose posting remain unchanged are Justice Manmohan, Acting CJ of the Delhi High Court, as CJ of the same High Court; Justice Nitin Madhukar Jamdar of the Bombay High Court as the CJ of Kerala High Court; and Justice K R Shriram of the Bombay High Court as the CJ of the Madras High Court.
