New Delhi, October 18
The Supreme Court collegium has recommended a major reshuffle in the higher judiciary by approving transfers and appointments of Chief Justices of eight High Courts, including the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India R. C. Lahoti, in two separate communications sent to the Union Law Ministry on October 14 and 17 respectively, has recommended the transfer of Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice B. K. Roy to Patna High Court.
He will be replaced by Calcutta High Court judge, Altamas Kabir, who has been elevated to the post of Chief Justice, official sources said here today, ending the speculations about the massive reshuffle in the higher judiciary.
Madras High Court Chief Justice B. Subhasan Reddy will replace Kerala High Court Chief Justice N. K. Sodhi, who will be the new Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court as per the recommendations made by the collegium.
Uttranchal High Court Chief Justice V. S. Sirpukar will be the new Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, which has only an acting Chief Justice with the elevation of Justice A. K. Mathur as a Supreme Court judge few months ago.
Besides, Justice Kabir, the other judges whose names have been recommended for appointment as Chief Justices are: A. N. Ray (Calcutta HC) as Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court, Markandey Katju (Allahabad HC) as Chief Justice of Madras High Court, Justice Cyriac Juseph (Kerala HC) as Chief Justice of Uttranchal High Court, sources said.
The posts of Chief Justices in those High Courts had been lying vacant with the elevation of incumbents as judges of the Supreme Court recently.
The sources said the required formalities for clearing the transfers and appointments at the government level, are expected to be completed in a week or two.
The Law Ministry would send the files relating to each judge to the Prime Minister, who would place the same before the President for effecting the transfers and making the appointments.
The official notification about the transfers and the appointments, would be made by the government only after the President will clear them, the sources said.
Asked whether any other transfer of High Court judges was expected, the sources said so far the government had only received the recommendations from the collegium about the transfers and appointments of Chief Justices.
