NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Collegium on Wednesday cleared the appointment of Chief Justices of the High Courts of Himachal, Rajasthan, Kerala, Madras and Bombay.
It recommended the name of seniormost Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Augustine George Masih, for appointment as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court while Justice MS Ramachandra Rao has been recommended for appointment as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. Born on March 12, 1963, in Ropar, Justice Masih was sworn in as an Additional Judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 10, 2008, and as Permanent Judge on January 14, 2011.
The Supreme Court Collegium in its recommendation said Justice Masih had acquired experience of dispensing justice in an HC having jurisdiction over two states. He was the seniormost puisne Judge in his parent High Court which presently had no representation among the Chief Justices of the HCs.
The Collegium said Justice Rao was appointed Judge of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh on June 29, 2012. On the bifurcation of the state, he opted for Telangana as his parent High Court. He was functioning on transfer as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana HC since October 12, 2021.
He was the senior most among puisne judges originating from the High Court for Telangana, which too had no representation among Chief Justices of the HCs. “Justice MS Ramachandra Rao has acquired experience of dispensing justice in two HCs,” it said.
The Collegium recalled the transfer of Orissa HC Chief Justice S Muralidhar to the Madras HC as he was scheduled to retire on August 7. It had recommended his transfer as Chief Justice of the Madras HC on September 28, 2022, but the government didn’t notify his transfer, the Collegium said in its resolution. As per Collegium resolutions uploaded on the top court’s website, Justice Ramesh D Dhanuka of the Bombay HC has been recommended for appointment as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.
The Collegium recommended Justice SV Bhatti currently a judge of the Kerala High Court for appointment as Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court while Justice SV Gangapurwala of the Bombay HC will be appointed Chief Justice of the Madras HC.