Centre to soon clear five names recommended by Collegium for Supreme Court judges; check details

Supreme Court was hearing a petition today regarding the delay in appointing judges. The Central government said it would soon approve the elevation of five judges recommended by the Collegium.  

The Centre assured the Supreme Court that the Collegium's recommendations for appointing five judges would be approved soon, on Friday, February 3, 2023. In December, the Collegium recommended three high court chief justices and two judges for appointment to the Supreme Court.

When the five new Supreme Court justices take their oaths, their working strength will increase to 32. The apex court is authorised to have 34 members, including the Chief Justice of India. It currently has a working strength of 27.

The court was hearing a petition today regarding the delay in appointing judges. The government said it would soon approve the elevation of five judges recommended by the Collegium.

Attorney General R Venkataramani told a bench of Justices S K Kaul and A S Oka that the warrant of appointment for these five names would be issued soon.

"It is a very, very serious issue," the bench said of the Centre's delay in clearing recommendations for transferring high court judges. The bench observed, "Don't force us to take an uncomfortable stance."

The Collegium recommended five judges for elevation to the Supreme Court on December 13, last year, Rajasthan High Court Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal, Patna High Court Chief Justice Sanjay Karol, Manipur High Court Chief Justice P V Sanjay Kumar, Patna High Court judge Ahsanuddin Amanullah, and Allahabad High Court judge Manoj Misra.

The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on February 13 for a case involving the Centre's alleged delay in clearing names recommended by the Collegium for appointment as judges to the Supreme Court and high courts.