The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the elevation of Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court, and Justice Sanjiv Khanna, a judge of Delhi High Court, as judges of the Apex Court.
The top court is presently functioning with 26 judges as against the sanctioned strength of 31, leaving five clear vacancies.
"This Collegium unanimously resolves to fill up, for the present, two of the five existing vacancies of judges in the Supreme Court. The Collegium has discussed names of Chief Justices as well as senior puisne judges of all High Courts, eligible for elevation to the Supreme Court," the top court said.
While recommending the names of Justices Maheshwari and Justice Khanna, the Collegium took into consideration the combined seniority on an all-India basis of Chief Justices and senior puisne judges of High Courts, apart from their merit and integrity.
The Collegium has also kept in mind the desirability of giving due representation on the Bench of the Supreme Court, as far as possible, to all the High Courts, said the Apex Court.
"We, therefore, recommend that Mr. Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna be appointed as Judges in the Supreme Court of India," the collegium concluded.
Justice Maheshwari was appointed as a Judge of the Rajasthan High Court on September 2, 2004, and was transferred to the Allahabad High Court on July 19, 2014. He was elevated as the Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court on February 24, 2016, and was thereafter transferred to the Karnataka High Court on February 12, 2018.
Meanwhile, Justice Khanna was appointed as a Judge of the Delhi High Court on June 24, 2005, and since then he has been functioning there.
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