List of 11 lawyers for HC clears 1st hurdle

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 14

Facing stumbling blocks ever since its finalisation nearly seven months back by the Punjab and Haryana High Court collegium, the list of 11 advocates recommended for elevation as judges is believed to have finally cleared the first major hurdle.

The Centre has forwarded 69 names from different high courts to the Supreme Court collegium for consideration. Available information suggests that the list forwarded on July 9 includes the names of 11 advocates and three district and sessions judges recommended for elevation by the Punjab and Haryana High Court collegium in November last year.

The names were recommended by the collegium comprising then Chief Justice Shiavax Jal Vazifdar, Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal and Justice Surya Kant. The list includes the daughter of a former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge and three law officers — two from Punjab and one of Haryana. The names were forwarded to both the Punjab and Haryana governments, along with the Supreme Court, in accordance with the prescribed procedure.

The list met the Punjab Government’s immediate approval, but the Haryana Government kept considering the matter till it finally sent the file back for reconsideration with certain objections. The names of three District and Sessions Judges, meanwhile, were approved by both the governments.

But that was not the end of it. One of the collegium members reportedly shot off a communication to the Union Law Ministry with some comments. The contents of the letter are not known but it is believed Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal sent the letter without consulting the other collegium members.

It is believed to have been written when Justice Mittal was acting as the Chief after the retirement of Justice Vazifdar on May 3 and before Justice Krishna Murari took over as Chief Justice on June 2. Since then, uncertainty has surrounded the fate of the list. The advocates recommended from the Punjab Bar are Sukant Gupta, Harsimran Singh, Arun Kumar Monga, Jasdeep Singh Gill, Mansur Ali, Deepinder Singh Nalwa and Harsh Bunger. The Haryana list includes Justice RK Nehru’s daughter Manjari Nehru Kaul, Sanjay Vashisth, Manoj Bajaj and Sunil Kumar Singh Panwar.

The list will now be placed before the SC collegium and the names finding favour after considering Intelligence Bureau report and other factors will be sent to the Union Law Ministry before the issuance of appointment order by the President.