Collegium recommends elevation of three chief justices

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, November 6

The Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, on Monday unanimously recommended names of three high court chief justices for elevation as judges of the top court.

Those recommended are: Delhi High Court Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, Rajasthan High Court Chief Justice Augustine George Masih, and Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Sandeep Mehta, the Supreme Court announced on its website.

While Justice Sharma’s parent high court is Madhya Pradesh, Justice Masih and Justice Mehta hail from Punjab and Haryana High Court and Rajasthan High Court, respectively. Once elevated, Justice Masih will be this third judge hailing from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the present Supreme Court after Justice Surya Kant and Justice Rajesh Bindal.

These elevations will take the working strength of the Supreme Court to 34 – which is its sanctioned strength.

The decision was taken by a five-member Collegium of the Supreme Court. Led by CJI Chandrachud, the Collegium included Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice BR Gavai and Justice Surya Kant. Justice Sharma stands at serial number 2 in the combined all India seniority of High Court judges, Justice Masih at serial number 7 and Justice Mehta at 23.

Justice Satish Chandra Sharma was appointed as a judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on January 18, 2008.