The Supreme Court Collegium led by Chief Justice of India U. U. Lalit has recommended to the government the transfer of the Chief Justices of Orissa and Jammu and Kashmir High Courts.
The Collegium, in a meeting held on September 28, has sought the transfer of Orissa High Court Chief Justice Dr. S. Muralidhar to Madras High Court as Chief Justice.
The Collegium has recommended the transfer of Justice Pankaj Mithal, the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court to Rajasthan as Chief Justice. Justice Muralidhar's parent High Court is Delhi and Justice Mithal's parent High Court is Allahabad. The Collegium has also recommended the elevation of three senior High Court judges as Chief Justices.
Justice Jaswant Singh, a judge of the Orissa High Court, has been recommended for appointment as Orissa High Court Chief Justice in place of Justice Muralidhar. Justice Singh's parent High Court is Punjab and Haryana.
Bombay High Court judge, Justice P.B. Varale, was recommended for elevation as Karnataka High Court Chief Justice. Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey of Jammu and Kashmir High Court has been recommended for appointment as the High Court's Chief Justice. The Collegium has further recommended the transfer of three judges to various High Courts.
Justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra has been recommended for transfer from Uttarakhand to Jharkhand High Court. Justice K. Vinod Chandran from Kerala to Bombay High Court and Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh from Jharkhand to Tripura High Court.
The Collegium had, on September 26, recommended the appointment of Bombay High Court Chief Justice Dipankar Datta as a Supreme Court judge.
There are 326 vacancies in the 25 High Courts as on September 1, 2022. The total sanctioned judicial strength of High Courts is 1,108. There are 782 working judges. The Supreme Court has 29 working judges out of a sanctioned strength of 34 judges.
