NK Singh could be first Supreme Court judge from Manipur

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court collegium on Thursday decided to recommend to the Union govt to appoint J&K Chief Justice N Kotishwar Singh and Madras HC acting Chief Justice R Mahadevan as judges of the apex court. Justice Singh will be the first from Manipur to become an SC judge.

After a four-hour marathon meeting, the collegium led by CJI D Y Chandrachud and comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, Surya Kant and Hrishikesh Roy unanimously decided to give Manipur its first representation in the apex court after more than 50 years of its statehood.

Justice Mahadevan belongs to the backward class and the CJI-led collegium has kept its promise to give representation among judges in constitutional courts to competent persons belonging to deprived sections of society.

Justice Tashi Rabstan, the senior-most judge in J&K HC, has been recommended for appointment as CJ of Meghalaya. Justice Rabstan, a Buddhist, would be the first judge from Ladakh to become Chief Justice of a HC. He will fill the post after the retirement of incumbent CJ S Vaidyanathan.

In the appointment of CJs to various high courts, Delhi got the lion's share as three of its judges were recommended for the highest judicial posts in the states.

Acting CJ of Delhi high court, Manmohan, is recommended for appointment as regular CJ of the same high court. Justice Rajiv Shakdher has been recommended for appointment as CJ of Himachal Pradesh and Justice Suresh Kait, who belongs to the Dalit community, is recommended to head the J&K high court, which post would fall vacant after Justice N K Singh's appointment as a Supreme Court judge.

The collegium recommended transfer of Justice M S Ramachandra Rao, CJ of Himachal Pradesh high court, as CJ of Jharkhand, the post which will fall vacant after retirement of Justice B R Sarangi on July 19. The vacant post of Himachal CJ would be filled by Justice Shakdher from Delhi high court.

The senior-most judge in Punjab and Haryana high court, Justice G S Sandhawalia, has been recommended to head Madhya Pradesh high court. His father Justice S S Sandhawalia had retired as CJ of Patna on July 27, 1987.

The collegium also recommended appointment of Justices Nitin Jamdar and K R Shriram, both from Bombay high court, as chief justices of Kerala high court and Madras high court respectively.