Judicial overhaul: Supreme Court Collegium recommends transfer of 14 Judges of 9 High Courts

In a major overhaul in the higher judiciary, the Supreme Court Collegium on Wednesday recommended transfer of 14 judges of nine high courts, including three from the Allahabad High Court and two each from Delhi, Gujarat and Rajasthan high courts.

The decision was taken in meetings of the Collegium led by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai held on August 25 and 26, the Supreme Court announced on Wednesday, without assigning any reasons for these mass transfers of high court judges.

Those recommended to be transferred are:

1. Justice Atul Sreedharan (from Madhya Pradesh High Court to Chhattisgarh High Court)
2. Justice Sanjay Agrawal (from Chhattisgarh High Court to Allahabad High Court)
3. Justice J. Nisha Banu (from Madras High Court to Kerala High Court)
4. Justice Dinesh Mehta (from Rajasthan High Court to Delhi High Court)
5. Justice Avneesh Jhingan-Parent HC-Punjab & Haryana High Court (from Rajasthan High Court to Delhi High Court)
6. Justice Arun Monga -Parent HC-Punjab & Haryana High Court (from Delhi High Court to Rajasthan High Court)
7. Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh (from Allahabad High Court to Patna High Court)
8. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal (from Allahabad High Court to Calcutta High Court)
9. Justice Manavendranath Roy -Parent HC-Andhra Pradesh High Court (from Gujarat High Court to Andhra Pradesh High Court)
10. Justice Donadi Ramesh – Parent HC - Andhra Pradesh High Court (from Allahabad High Court to Andhra Pradesh High Court)
11. Justice Sandeep Natvarlal Bhatt (from Gujarat High Court to Madhya Pradesh High Court)
12. Justice Chandrasekharan Sudha (from Kerala High Court to Delhi High Court)
13. Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju (from Delhi High Court to Karnataka High Court)
14. Justice Subhendu Samanta (from Calcutta High Court to Andhra Pradesh High Court)

These transfers will become effective after the Centre notifies them.

In August 2023, the Supreme Court Collegium had recommended transfer of 23 judges from eight high courts, including four from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, “for better administration of justice”. The transfers were notified by the Central Government in October and November 2023.