New Delhi, August 11th: The Supreme Court collegium has put forth a recommendation for the transfer of 23 judges from various high courts, a notable inclusion being Justice Hemant M Prachchhak of the Gujarat High Court. Justice Prachchhak had notably dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s appeal seeking a halt on his conviction in a criminal defamation case concerning his “Modi surname” remark.
The collegium, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and consisting of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, and Surya Kant, convened on August 3rd to propose the transfer of nine high court judges with the objective of enhancing the administration of justice.
As outlined in a resolution posted on the Supreme Court’s official website, four judges from the Gujarat High Court and four from the Punjab and Haryana High Court are among the recommended transfers, alongside one judge from the Allahabad High Court.
Justice Prachchhak’s transfer from the Gujarat High Court to the Patna High Court is among the recommendations. It was Justice Prachchhak who, on July 7th, dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s plea to stay his conviction in a criminal defamation case. In this case, he had received a two-year jail sentence for his “Modi surname” statement.
The collegium’s resolution additionally suggests that three other judges from the Gujarat High Court, namely Justices Alpesh Y Kogje, Kumari Gita Gopi, and Samir J Dave, be transferred to the high courts of Allahabad, Madras, and Rajasthan respectively.
Similarly, judges from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justices Arvind Singh Sangwan, Avneesh Jhingan, Raj Mohan Singh, and Arun Monga, are recommended for transfers to the high courts of Allahabad, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan respectively.
The collegium also endorsed the transfer of Justice Vivek Kumar Singh from the Allahabad High Court to the Madras High Court.
In a series of 14 resolutions dated August 10th and published on the Supreme Court’s website, the collegium’s recommendations for the transfer of 14 judges across different high courts were announced to enhance the efficiency of justice administration.
These resolutions include the transfer proposal for Justice Madhuresh Prasad from the Patna High Court to the Calcutta High Court, who has expressed his consent for the transfer but also conveyed the upcoming board examination of his younger son in February 2024. The collegium, however, maintains its decision to transfer him.
Another resolution cites Justice C Sumalatha’s request for transfer reconsideration. The collegium accedes to her wish to be transferred to the High Court of Karnataka instead of the Gujarat High Court, as originally proposed.
In conclusion, the collegium’s multifaceted recommendations seek to optimize the judicial landscape’s functioning and align with the ethos of efficient and impartial justice delivery.
