Centre clears 9 of 10 names for Bombay High Court judges
Nearly five months after the Supreme Court collegium made its recommendations, the government on Saturday cleared nine of the 10 names, appointing them as additional judges of Bombay High Court.
In a notification, the government appointed advocates Kishore Chandrakant Sant, Valmiki Menezes S A, Kamal Rashmi Khata, Sharmila Uttamrao Deshmukh, Arun Ramnath Pednekar, Sandeep Vishnupant Marne, Gauri Vinod Godse, Rajesh Shantaram Patil and Arif Saleh Doctor.
The only recommended name that is yet to be cleared by the government is that of senior advocate Somasekar Sundaresan, a securities and regulatory expert.
Sundaresan set up an independent practice after his stint as a partner heading the securities law and private equity practice at law firm JSA.
“As per the power conferred under the Constitution of India, the following Advocates are appointed as Additional Judges of Bombay High Court. My best wishes to all of them!” Union Minister for Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju tweeted.
According to the Department of Justice, under the Law Ministry, Bombay HC currently has 54 judges, after Justice Anil K Menon retired on July 11, against a sanctioned strength of 96. At least four more judges are expected to retire this year.
With the addition of nine new judges, the total strength goes up to 63 judges.
The HC collegium headed by Chief Justice Dipankar Dutta has already sent two more lists, which are yet to be placed before the Supreme Court collegium.
In December last year, the HC proposed elevation of 10 advocates for appointment as judges of the HC.
The Indian Express had earlier reported that while this list is yet to be placed before the Supreme Court Collegium, at least one advocate has withdrawn his consent for appointment. In April this year, the HC is learnt to have sent another list of seven district court judges to be considered for appointment as judges of the HC. That, too, is yet to be placed before the SC Collegium.
