The Supreme Court collegium has “deferred” a decision on the recommended elevation of nine judicial officers as judges of Rajasthan High Court and sent back, or “remitted”, the suggested promotion of a woman judicial officer as judge of Karnataka High Court.

The Supreme Court collegium has as members Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S.A. Bobde and N.V. Ramana. The decisions were formally taken on April 1 and the resolutions made public on April 3.

For consideration for promotion as a high court judge, an advocate needs to have a minimum of 10 years’ experience. District and sessions judges, who normally would have put in 10 years of judicial service, are also eligible for elevation to a high court.

The names are first recommended by the high court collegium in concurrence with the state’s chief minister or governor, and thereafter considered by the Supreme Court collegium. Once the Supreme Court collegium approves the suggestions, the file is sent to the Union government, which may raise objections if it wants. But if the apex court collegium iterates the suggestions, it becomes binding on the Centre to accept them.

Rajasthan High Court

The Supreme Court collegium recommended judicial officers Abhay Chaturvedi and Narendra Singh Dhaddha for promotion as judges.

The resolution signed by the collegium stated: “As regards Shri Chandra Kumar Songara, consideration of the proposal for his elevation is deferred for the present and would be taken up after additional information is received from the Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court. As regards… Devendra Kachhawaha, Satish Kumar Sharma, Prabha Sharma, Manoj Kumar Vyas, Rameshwar Vyas, Devendra Joshi, Anoop Kumar Saxena and Hemant Kumar Jain… consideration of their proposal for elevation is deferred for the present. The same would be taken up upon receipt of detailed information from the department of justice…. in respect of certain unconfirmed inputs pointed out in the file”

Patna High Court

The collegium has recommended the names of the following advocates for elevation as judges: Anjani Kumar Sharan, Anil Kumar Sinha, Prabhat Kumar Singh and Partha Sarthy. “As regards… Rajendra Kumar Giri and Vikash Kumar… having regard (to) all relevant factors and the material placed in the file, the Collegium is of the considered view that the proposal for their elevation deserves to be remitted to Patna High Court…,” the resolution said.

Karnataka HC

The collegium has “remitted” to Karnataka High Court the name of Shashikala Moody Anandappa Urankar following scrutiny of documents submitted by the justice department and an interaction with her.

Delhi High Court

The Supreme Court collegium has remitted the elevation of advocate Krishnendu Datta as judge and deferred the promotion of Saurabh Kirpal.