Collegium adopts new coverage to switch potential HC chief justices prematurely| India Information
The Supreme Courtroom Collegium has determined that judges earmarked to develop into chief justices might be transferred to their new excessive courts nicely prematurely, ideally two months earlier than the emptiness arises, signalling a vital coverage shift aimed toward making certain smoother management transitions in excessive courts.
The choice, taken at a gathering held on Wednesday night and led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, is meant to allow incoming chief justices to familiarise themselves with the executive and judicial functioning of their new courts earlier than formally assuming cost.
“The Collegium has taken a coverage resolution that with the intention to strengthen the effectivity and high quality of administration of justice, a Decide who’s proposed to take over the Excessive Courtroom as its Chief Justice could also be transferred nicely prematurely, ideally two months earlier than the emptiness arises, in order that such recommendee within the meantime turns into nicely conversant with the affairs of that Excessive Courtroom and assumes cost of the workplace of Chief Justice, on the retirement of incumbent Chief Justice,” the assertion mentioned.
The collegium additionally contains justices Vikram Nath, JK Maheshwari, BV Nagarathna and MM Sundresh.
Implementing the brand new coverage for the primary time, the collegium resolved to suggest the switch of Justice Lisa Gill from the Punjab and Haryana Excessive Courtroom to the Andhra Pradesh Excessive Courtroom. She has additionally been advisable for appointment as chief justice of that prime court docket with impact from the date the emptiness arises later in April, upon the retirement of the incumbent chief justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur.
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“Following this coverage resolution, the collegium has resolved to suggest switch of Ms Justice Lisa Gill, Decide, Excessive Courtroom of Punjab and Haryana to the Excessive Courtroom of Andhra Pradesh and for her appointment because the chief justice of that Excessive Courtroom with impact from the date the emptiness would come up,” the assertion added.
The collegium additionally advisable the appointment of Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari, at present a choose of the Kerala Excessive Courtroom (guardian Excessive Courtroom: Madhya Pradesh), as chief justice of the Madras Excessive Courtroom. The advice follows the upcoming retirement of the incumbent chief justice MM Shrivastava on March 5.
Justice Shrivastava is presently a member of the Lok Sabha-mandated panel probing allegations towards Allahabad Excessive Courtroom choose Justice Yashwant Varma over the invention of unaccounted money at his official residence in Delhi final yr. Following Shrivastava’s retirement, the panel has been reconstituted, with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla nominating Bombay Excessive Courtroom Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar in his place, whereas the opposite two members proceed.
Nevertheless, the collegium is but to suggest a full-time chief justice for the Rajasthan Excessive Courtroom, which has been functioning underneath an performing chief justice since September 2025.
In a separate decision, the collegium authorized the appointment of 9 advocates as judges of the Patna Excessive Courtroom: Md. Nadim Seraj, Ranjan Kumar Jha, Kumar Manish, Sanjeev Kumar, Girijish Kumar, Alok Kumar, Raj Kumar, Rana Vikram Singh and Vikash Kumar.
An individual conscious of the deliberations mentioned that the brand new coverage displays a acutely aware effort to strengthen institutional continuity and administrative effectivity within the excessive courts. “Chief justices play a pivotal position not solely in judicial work however in roster allocation, infrastructure planning, case administration and general administrative supervision. By making certain {that a} choose designated to develop into chief justice spends time within the new excessive court docket earlier than formally taking on, the collegium hopes to minimise disruption and improve effectivity from day one,” the individual informed HT.
The transfer is predicted to streamline transitions at a time when a number of excessive courts witness frequent management modifications, in wake of the stipulation within the memorandum of process (MoP) requiring {that a} excessive court docket chief justice should be appointed from outdoors the guardian excessive court docket. The coverage is advanced to protect institutional independence, keep away from native influences and reinforce public confidence within the neutral administration of justice.