Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Feb 4: The Central government on Friday told the Supreme Court that it is processing the files relating to five High Court judges who were recommended by the Collegium in December 2022 for appointment as judges of the apex court.
Attorney General (AG) R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, told the top court that the five names will be cleared “soon” but he declined to give a specific timeline.
Interestingly, the AG initially said that it would be done by February 5, Sunday but later asked the Court not to record the same in its order.
The Court was hearing a case concerning delay in judges appointments
The five judges recommended for appointment to the Supreme Court are:
– Justice Pankaj Mithal (Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court);
– Justice Sanjay Karol (Chief Justice of Patna High Court);
– Justice PV Sanjay Kumar (Chief Justice of Manipur High Court);
– Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah (Judge of Patna High Court);
– Justice Manoj Misra ( Judge of Allahabad High Court).
The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended their appointment to the top court on December 13.
During the hearing of the case on Friday, a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and AS Oka said that only one of the files regarding appointment could be pending with the Collegium.
The bench then highlighted that five names recommended by the Collegium in December last year for Supreme Court are pending with the government.
“Those warrants will be issued soon,” the AG said.
“How would I know? I have no knowledge. Should we record,” Justice Kaul asked.
“It will happen,” the AG assured.
The Court then proceeded to record the following:
“AG submits that so far as five recommendations made for Supreme Court, warrants will be issued within five days”.
The AG, however, insisted that the same may not be recorded in the order.
“You may not record the time. You may say it is happening,” the AG submitted.
“It has been happening! But when will this happen? Things have not been happening for years together,” Justice Kaul replied.
“I am just saying, a timeline may not be given. Every moment the file is being followed up,” the AG insisted.
The Court eventually adjourned the matter after asking the government to process the recommendations within ten days.
If the five appointments go through, the working strength of the Supreme Court will rise to 32 with two vacancies.
Justice Pankaj Mithal is currently serving as the Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court. Previously, he was Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court. His parent High Court is the Allahabad High Court.
Justice Sanjay Karol is currently the Chief Justice of Patna High Court. He is former Chief Justice of Tripura High Court. His parent High Court is the Himachal Pradesh High Court.
Justice PV Sanjay Kumar is Chief Justice of Manipur High Court. Prior to that he served as a judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court. His parent High Court is Telangana.
Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah is presently the Judge of the Patna High Court. He has served at the Andhra Pradesh High Court before being transferred back to Patna, his parent High Court.
Justice Manoj Misra is a judge at the Allahabad High Court. He was elevated as an additional Judge on November 21, 2011 and was made a permanent judge on August 6, 2013.
(Credit: Bar and Bench)
