The Supreme Court Collegium on Wednesday recommended the names of three lawyers for appointment as judges of the Delhi High Court. The names were recommended to the Centre by the apex court. "For the purpose of assessing the merit and suitability of the above candidates for elevation to the High Court, we have scrutinised and evaluated the material placed on record. We have also perused the observations made by the Department of Justice in the file," the resolution passed by the Supreme Court Collegium stated.
Lawyers who have been recommended are:
- Ajay Digpal
- Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar
- Shwetasri Majumdar
Current strength of judges in Delhi HC
On October 25, 2023, the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, in consultation with the two senior-most judges of the High Court, recommended the appointment of three advocates as new judges of the High Court. The Collegium, which reviewed the recommendations, found all three lawyers suitable for the position and endorsed their appointment. Currently, the Delhi High Court operates with 39 judges, which is below its sanctioned strength of 60. The addition of these new judges is expected to help address the existing shortfall and enhance the efficiency of the court's operations.
About Supreme Court Collegium
The Supreme Court Collegium in India is a body responsible for the appointment and transfer of judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts. It consists of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court. The Collegium system has been subject to debate and criticism, with some arguing that it lacks transparency and that reforms are needed to make the appointment process more accountable.
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