New Delhi, June 17: A judicial officer from Himachal Pradesh has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court. The petition challenges the recent recommendations made by the Supreme Court Collegium regarding the appointment of judges in the Himachal Pradesh High Court.
The petition was submitted by Arvind Malhotra, a judicial officer, who claims that the names of junior officials were recommended for promotion to judgeship, sidelining his seniority.
According to reports, Malhotra contests the Collegium’s suggestion of three judicial officers—Chirag Bhanu Singh, Bhupesh Sharma, and Yogesh Jaswal—for judgeship in the Himachal Pradesh High Court. He argues that his seniority was overlooked in favor of these junior officials.
The petition was filed by Malhotra, who serves as the Principal Judge of the Dharamshala Family Court. On Wednesday, his lawyer requested an expedited hearing before a bench led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI), who assured prompt consideration.
The Supreme Court Collegium is a panel of senior judges responsible for deciding the appointments, promotions, and transfers of judges in the Supreme Court and various High Courts across India. The Collegium comprises the Chief Justice of India and four other senior-most judges. This panel evaluates names for judicial appointments and recommends qualified lawyers or High Court judges to the central government.
The central government reviews these recommendations and can return names to the Collegium if there are objections. If the Collegium resubmits the same name without changes, the government is obligated to appoint that individual.
Leave a Comment