Three Judges appointed to HP HC ; two-year Tenure for Adl Judges
Three Judges appointed to HP HC ; two-year Tenure for Adl Judges
Shimla, Aug 27,
The appointment of three judicial officers to the Himachal Pradesh High Court has been formally notified, completing the process initiated by the Supreme Court Collegium in June.
According to a notification issued by the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, on August 27, Chirag Bhanu Singh has been appointed as a Judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court with effect from the date he assumes charge.
Bhupesh Sharma and Yogesh Jaswal have been appointed as Additional Judges of the High Court for a period of two years, with their appointments taking effect from the respective dates on which they assume charge.
The notification has been issued in exercise of the powers conferred under Articles 217(1) and 224 of the Constitution of India.
The three appointments follow the Supreme Court Collegium’s decision taken at its meeting on June 2 to approve their elevation to the Himachal Pradesh High Court.
The appointments are also significant in view of the controversy surrounding judicial elevations in Himachal Pradesh in 2024, when judicial officers had approached the Supreme Court alleging that their merit and seniority had been overlooked in the process of recommending names for elevation. The Supreme Court had subsequently directed reconsideration of their cases.
Also Read Challenging decision of collegium to elevate three judges to HP HC, A judicial officer moves SC
Chirag Bhanu Singh, whose appointment has now been formally notified as a permanent Judge, was among the judicial officers associated with that earlier round of litigation.
With the latest notification, three of the existing vacancies in the Himachal Pradesh High Court are set to be filled from the judicial service quota.
Supreme Court Collegium has so far not recommended any of the three advocates for appointment as judges, leaving the two vacancies from the Bar quota to be filled.
Himachal Pradesh high court would now have total strength of 15 judges leaving two posts vacant.
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