NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday overturned a decision by the chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh high court, who had individually rejected the candidacy of two district judges for appointment as high court judges.
In a first of its kind order, the bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy and PK Mishra directed, directed the high court collegium, led by the chief justice, to reassess the candidacy of district judges Chirag Bhanu Singh and Arvind Malhotra.
The top court observed that the high court collegium’s approach in reconsidering the two petitioners was not in line with the legal principles established in the Second Judges and Third Judges cases.
District Judges Chirag Bhanu Singh from Bilaspur and Arvind Malhotra from Solan, the petitioners, requested a directive for their names to be reconsidered for elevation, in accordance with the Supreme Court Collegium’s resolution dated January 4, 2024, which had instructed the HC collegium to consider their names.
In December 2022, the petitioners’ names were put forward for elevation to the HC. However, on July 12, 2023, the Supreme Court Collegium decided to postpone consideration of their elevation, indicating that it would address the matter at a later date.
In a first of its kind order, the bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy and PK Mishra directed, directed the high court collegium, led by the chief justice, to reassess the candidacy of district judges Chirag Bhanu Singh and Arvind Malhotra.
The top court observed that the high court collegium’s approach in reconsidering the two petitioners was not in line with the legal principles established in the Second Judges and Third Judges cases.
District Judges Chirag Bhanu Singh from Bilaspur and Arvind Malhotra from Solan, the petitioners, requested a directive for their names to be reconsidered for elevation, in accordance with the Supreme Court Collegium’s resolution dated January 4, 2024, which had instructed the HC collegium to consider their names.
In December 2022, the petitioners’ names were put forward for elevation to the HC. However, on July 12, 2023, the Supreme Court Collegium decided to postpone consideration of their elevation, indicating that it would address the matter at a later date.