SC allows appointment of retd judges to HCs on ad hoc basis

Citing huge pendency of cases in high courts across India, the Supreme Court on Thursday relaxed the conditions for appointment of ad hoc judges in high courts.

“Each HC may appoint ad hoc judges by taking recourse to Article 224-A of the Constitution. The appointment of judges shall not exceed 10 per cent of the sanctioned strength. The ad hoc judges will sit in a Bench, presided over by a sitting judge of the High Court and decide pending criminal appeals,” a Special Bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna said.

Relaxing the conditions for appointment of ad hoc judges in high courts, the Bench decided to keep in abeyance the condition in its April 2021 judgment that ad hoc judges as per Article 224 of the Constitution can be appointed only if the vacancies are more than 20 per cent of the sanctioned strength. Article 224-A provides for appointment of retired HC judges as high court judges.