The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the appointment of three High Court judges as Chief Justices for the High Courts of Patna, Meghalaya, and Manipur. In a resolution published on its website, the Collegium proposed elevating Justice P. B. Bajanthri, currently the Acting Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, as its permanent Chief Justice. Additionally, Justice Soumen Sen of the Calcutta High Court has been recommended for appointment as the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court, and Justice M. Sundar of the Madras High Court has been recommended for the office of Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court.
Background of the Recommendations
The recommendations were finalized in a meeting of the Supreme Court Collegium, comprising the Chief Justice of India and the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court. The Collegium evaluates the merit, integrity, and seniority of judges before making its recommendations, which are then forwarded to the Union Ministry of Law and Justice for further action.
Collegium’s Resolutions
1. Justice P. B. Bajanthri for Patna High Court
The Collegium has recommended the appointment of Justice P. B. Bajanthri as the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. Justice Bajanthri, whose parent High Court is the Karnataka High Court, is presently serving as the Acting Chief Justice of the Patna High Court.
The resolution noted that the office of the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court has been vacant for some time, leading to Justice Bajanthri’s appointment as Acting Chief Justice. The Collegium, having assessed his performance and suitability, resolved to recommend his appointment as the regular Chief Justice. The resolution stated that Justice Bajanthri is an experienced judge and is “fit and suitable in all respects for being appointed as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Judicature at Patna.”
2. Justice Soumen Sen for Meghalaya High Court
The Collegium has proposed the name of Justice Soumen Sen, a senior puisne judge of the Calcutta High Court, for appointment as the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.
The vacancy in the office of the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court arose following the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice. In its resolution, the Collegium observed that Justice Soumen Sen was appointed as a Judge of the Calcutta High Court in April 2011 and has since acquired considerable experience. The Collegium found him to be a competent judge and deemed him “fit and suitable in all respects” to be appointed as the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.
3. Justice M. Sundar for Manipur High Court
Justice M. Sundar of the Madras High Court has been recommended for appointment as the Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court. The office of the Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court is set to become vacant upon the retirement of its current Chief Justice.
Justice Sundar was appointed as a Judge of the Madras High Court in June 2016. The Collegium resolution highlighted his professional competence and integrity. After a thorough evaluation, the Collegium concluded that Justice M. Sundar “is fit and suitable in all respects for being appointed as the Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court.”
Decision and Next Steps
The recommendations of the Supreme Court Collegium have been formally transmitted to the Union Government. The Ministry of Law and Justice will process these recommendations, after which the appointments will be officially made by the President of India through the issuance of warrants of appointment.
