CJI Ramana requests CJs to consider elevating SC lawyers as HC judges: SCBA

The SCBA President had said the advocates practicing in the Supreme Court are hardly considered for appointment as high court judges by the collegiums.
CJI NV Ramana (Photo | Prateek Som Twitter)
CJI NV Ramana (Photo | Prateek Som Twitter)

NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India (CJI) N V Ramana has requested Chief Justices of all the high courts to consider apex court lawyers for elevation as HC judges, the Supreme Court Bar Association said on Tuesday.

SCBA President and senior advocate Vikas Singh said the move followed his recent letter to the CJI requesting him to consider lawyers practicing in the top court for appointment as high court judges.

"CJI has agreed to the request made by SCBA and has requested the Chief Justices of the High Courts to consider lawyers practicing in the Supreme Court for elevation to their High Courts," Singh said in a press release.

He said the Executive Committee of SCBA has constituted a 'search committee' which, besides him, comprises the bar body's vice president and senior member Mahalakshmi Pavani and its four members -- Rakesh Dwivedi, Shekhar Naphade, Vijay Hansaria and V Giri -- to facilitate the process of elevation by identifying deserving and meritorious Supreme Court practitioners.

"The High Court Collegium may then consider such names along with the lawyers from the High Court Bar in order to choose the most deserving candidate amongst those available for elevation," he said.

Singh wrote to the CJI on May 31 that lawyers practicing in the apex court have "vast experience and best exposure in dealing with all kinds of issues relating to civil, criminal, Constitutional, commercial law".

"However, they are rarely considered for elevation by the high court collegium as they do not regularly practice before the high court and while being professionally more meritorious than their colleagues at the high court, lose the opportunity for being considered as such," the letter said.

The collegiums, as per the prevalent practice, headed by chief justices of high courts shortlist and recommend names of lawyers practicing there and the judicial officers under service category for appointment as high court judges.

The SCBA President had said the advocates practicing in the Supreme Court are hardly considered for appointment as high court judges by the collegiums.

He said the experienced and seasoned lawyers practicing in the apex court will prove to be deserving and meritorious judges of high courts.

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