After 4 years of delay, Centre to clear appointment of Sadiq Wasim Nagral as judge of J&K High Court
The Centre is set to clear the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation to appoint advocate Sadiq Wasim Nagral as judge of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, The Indian Express has learnt.
Nagral’s was the oldest recommendation pending with the government. The process began with the High Court Collegium’s recommendation on August 24, 2017. His candidature was approved by the Supreme Court Collegium on April 6, 2018. Subsequently, in January 2019, and again in March 2021, the Supreme Court Collegium reiterated its decision.
Conventionally, the government is bound to accept the recommendation of the Collegium if the decision has been reiterated.
Sources told The Indian Express that the government was persuaded to consider the recommendation that would make Nagral the first Muslim judge from Jammu. Nagral has served as the Senior Additional Advocate General of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir and mostly represented the Home Ministry. As a Central government counsel, he has represented security forces, including the Army, BSF and CRPF before the High Court.
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PremiumThe delay, however will impact the appointment. 11 judges were appointed to the HC after Nagral was recommended. Nargal, who was 49 when recommended by the Supreme Court for elevation, would have had more than 12 years as a permanent High Court judge and, by convention of seniority, would have been a potential Chief Justice of a High Court in the country. Now, he will have a tenure of over 7 years.
The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has a sanctioned strength of 17 judges. It currently has 15 judges including Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal, who is originally from the Allahabad High Court.
Nagral’s appointment is yet another boost to the Jammu Bar, with the High Court already dominated by judges from Jammu.