Centre assures SC: 5 Collegium-recommended judge appointments to be approved shortly

On Friday, the Centre assured the Supreme Court that the Collegium’s recommendation for the appointment of five judges in the apex court will be approved shortly.

Attorney General R Venkataramani told a bench of Justices S K Kaul and A S Oka that warrant of appointments of these five names is expected to be issued soon.

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The bench expressed displeasure over the delay by the Centre in clearing recommendations for transfer of high court judges, saying “it is a very, very serious issue”.

“Don’t make us take a stand which will be very uncomfortable,” the bench observed.

The apex court, which was hearing a matter related to the Centre’s alleged delay in clearing names recommended by the Collegium for appointment as judges to the Supreme Court and high courts, has posted it for further hearing on February 13.

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The Collegium on December 13 last year recommended five judges for elevation to the apex court — 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.

(With agency inputs)