The Supreme Court collegium on Tuesday gave its approval for the appointment of six advocates as judges of the Karnataka High Court. The proposal, which had been pending consideration, was cleared during a meeting of the collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India.
List of Approved Candidates
The six advocates who have been recommended for elevation are:
- Raghavendra Seetharam Srivatsa
- Hema Kulkarni
- Subramanya Rangarao
- Thadagavadi Prakash Vivekananda
- Bakkeswara Pramod
- Hombe Gowda Shanthi Bhushan
Process and Significance
The collegium system, which involves the Chief Justice of India and four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, is responsible for recommending appointments and transfers of judges to the higher judiciary. This approval marks a significant step in strengthening the Karnataka High Court, which has been functioning with a vacancy of judges for some time.
The appointments are expected to be formalized after the government issues the necessary notifications. Once appointed, these new judges will contribute to the disposal of cases pending in the high court, which has a substantial backlog.
Background
The Karnataka High Court, located in Bengaluru, is one of the oldest high courts in India, established in 1884. It has a sanctioned strength of 62 judges, but currently operates with fewer judges due to vacancies. The elevation of these six advocates will help in reducing the pendency of cases.
The collegium's decision comes after a thorough evaluation of the candidates' merit, integrity, and suitability for the high court bench. The Bar Council of Karnataka and other stakeholders had earlier submitted their inputs regarding the candidates.
This development is part of a broader effort by the judiciary to fill vacancies across various high courts in the country, ensuring timely justice for litigants.
