Centre issues notification for appointment of two lawyers as Bombay HC judges – The Indian Express

The Supreme Court collegium, led by former Chief Justice of India U U Lalit, in its meeting held on September 12, had recommended elevation of two lawyers as judges of the Bombay High Court.

On Tuesday, Union Law minister Kiran Rijiju tweeted that as per Constitutional provisions, the two advocates were appointed as Additional Judges of Bombay High Court.

The high court is currently functioning with 64 judges: 40 permanent judges and 24 additional judges. However, the sanctioned strength of the court, which is the second largest in the country after the Allahabad High Court, is 94. With two new additional judges, the Bombay High Court will function with 66 judges.

The central government on October 6 had issued a notification for appointment of six judicial officers as additional judges of the Bombay High Court. The judicial officers, including Sanjay Deshmukh, Yanshivraj Khobragade, Mahendra Chandwani, Abhay Waghwase, Ravindra Joshi and Vrushali Joshi were sworn in as the judges on October 7.

The Supreme Court on September 26 had also recommended the elevation of Justice Dipankar Datta, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, as a judge at the Supreme Court. Justice Datta’s elevation will take place after the central government clears the appointment and issues notification for the same. However, the same has not been issued for over two months since the collegium’s recommendation

While the Supreme Court Collegium had on September 28 recommended the name of Justice Prasanna B Varale of the Bombay High Court as the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court, the central government had issued notification clearing the appointment on October 11. Justice Varale took over the mantle of Karnataka High Court on October 15.