Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana urged the Chief Justices of High Courts to extend their “whole-hearted cooperation” and speed up the process of recommending names to fill up judicial vacancies in their High Courts.
“I request the Chief Justices of High Courts, which are still having number of vacancies, to forward the names for elevation at the earliest,” he said at the 39th Chief Justices’ Conference held at the Supreme Court on Friday.
The CJI said that last year saw High Courts’ collegiums act quickly to recommend names, following which 126 judicial vacancies in High Courts could be filled up within just a year.
Chief Justice Ramana said 50 more High Court appointments were expected soon. “
You may recall that one of my first communications to you was about the filling up of vacancies. I have also requested all of you, in our very first online interaction, to expedite the process of recommending names for elevation to High Courts, with an emphasis on social diversity... Due to our collective efforts, we could fill 126 vacancies in various High Courts, in less than an year. We are expecting 50 more appointments. This remarkable feat could be achieved because of your wholehearted co-operation and commitment to the institution,” he addressed the Chief Justices participating in the conference.
The Chief Justices’ Conference, held after a six-year gap, draws the foundation for the joint conference between the Chief Justices and Chief Ministers to be held on Saturday. The conclusions arrived at by the judges on Friday will be placed before the government. The joint conference will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister.
The main topics of discussion at the conference included means to strengthen the network and connectivity at court complexes pan India on a priority basis; human resources and personnel policy needs at district courts; better infrastructure and capacity building; legal and institutional reforms and appointment of High Court judges.
Also on the agenda in the conference was the establishment of National Judicial Infrastructure Authority and State Judicial Infrastructure authorities as Special Purpose Vehicles at the Central and State levels for development of infrastructure in district courts.
Justices U.U. Lalit and A.M. Khanwilkar, the two seniormost judges at the Supreme Court after the CJI, participated in the conference.
The Supreme Court organises the conference of Chief Justices of High Courts with the object to deliberate on issues related to the judiciary. The first Chief Justices’ conference was held in November 1953.
