Centre told to elevate 3 HC CJs to apex court

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, May 4

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the elevation of three Chief Justices of high courts as judges of the apex court. It has also asked the Centre to process the appointment of senior advocate L Nageswara Rao, who has been the Additional Solicitor General, as a judge of the apex court.

The three Chief Justices are DY Chandrachud (Allahabad HC), AM Khanwilkar (Madhya Pradesh HC) and Ashok Bhushan (Kerala HC). While Justices Chandrachud and Khanwilkar hail from Maharashtra, Justice Bhushan is from Uttar Pradesh.

The proposed appointments will increase the number of SC judges to 29 against the sanctioned strength of 31, including the Chief Justice of India.

The appointment of SC judges is at a standstill since February 2015, when Justice Amitava Roy was elevated, due to a controversy over the proposed National Judicial Appointments Commission for replacing the Collegium system. The SC has restored it.