Hc Judges

SC raps HC judges over delays, 'coffee breaks'; seeks performance audit

The Supreme Court has observed that the efficiency of High Court judges must be addressed, highlighting the need for performance audits and timely delivery of reserved judgments

Of 221 HC judge recommendations since Nov 2022, 29 await Centre's nod

In a first of its kind move towards enhancing transparency, the Supreme Court has declared the names of judges recommended by the collegium, their relations to sitting or retired judges of high courts or the apex court and the number of resolutions confirmed by the government. According to the data released by the Supreme Court from November 9, 2022 to November 10, 2024 -- a time when former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud was at the helm of affairs -- of the 303 candidates approved by the Supreme Court collegium for appointment as high court judges, 170 have been cleared by the central government. The data shows 17 names are still pending with the government for approval. Out of the 303 names recommended, 12 were related to former or retired judges of the high court or the Supreme Court and one name who had relations with the retired or serving member of the high court or the apex court, was not cleared by the Centre. Seven of the 303 names belonged to the Scheduled Caste ..

3 Kerala HC judges, families narrowly escape Pahalgam terror attack

Three Kerala High Court judges and their families escaped unhurt after leaving Pahalgam just hours before a deadly terror attack that claimed 26 lives and injured many

Govt notifies transfer of Yashwant Varma to Allahabad HC amid cash scandal

The controversy erupted days after a fire at Justice Varma's residence led to the discovery of large sums of cash

SC refuses urgent hearing on plea seeking FIR over cash at HC judge's home

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused an urgent mentioning of a plea seeking a direction to Delhi Police to lodge an FIR over the alleged discovery of semi-burnt stash of cash from the official residence of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma. A bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna was urged by lawyer Mathews J Nedumpara that the plea be listed for urgent hearing before a bench as it pertained to larger public interest. The CJI, who has stopped the practice of oral mentioning of cases for urgent listing, said that the plea would come up. The lawyer said that the apex court has done a "commendable job" but an FIR was needed. "Don't make public statements," the CJI said. A woman and co-petitioner in the matter said that if such a case was against a common citizen then several probe agencies, like CBI and ED, would have been after that person. "This is quite enough. The plea will come up accordingly," the CJI said. A plea was filed by Nedumpara and three others on Sunday

SC asks HCs to form panel over judges pay commission recommendations

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked all high courts to expedite setting up a two-judge panel to address grievances of district judicial officers on the implementation of the Second National Judges Pay Commission recommendations. A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai, Augustine George Masih and K Vinod Chandran passed the order after senior advocate K Paremeshwar, who is assisting it as an amicus curiae, said many high courts were yet to form the Committees for Service Conditions of the District Judiciary (CSCDJ) as directed by it earlier. The top court, on January 4 last year, said it recommended setting up the two-judge panel in all high courts to ensure that the orders on pay, pension and other retiral benefits for judicial officers as per the Second National Judicial Pay Commission (SNJPC) were implemented. On Tuesday, the amicus said while some high courts had set up the panels, they did not meet regularly to deal with the grievances, prompting several judicial officers to move t

Delhi HC calls for X-category security for 300 judges amid safety breaches

X-category security involves two armed police officers, but does not include commandos, making it the lowest level of security in this system

Govt forwards parliamentary panel's report to SC, HCs on judges' vacation

The government has forwarded recommendations of a parliamentary committee on staggered vacation for judges to the secretary general of the Supreme Court and registrars general of 25 high court for "appropriate consideration". In a written reply in Lok Sabha on Friday, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the standing committee on law and personnel had referred to the suggestion of former chief justice of India R M Lodha that instead of all judges going on vacations, all at one time, individual judges should take their leave at different times of the year so that the courts are constantly open and they are always present to hear cases. The committee was of the opinion that Justice Lodha's suggestion on court vacations should be considered by the Judiciary. "Accordingly, the recommendation of the Rajya Sabha DRPSC (department-related standing committee) in respect of the aforementioned subject was forwarded by the government to the Secretary General, Supreme Court and all Registrars

Delhi riots: Judge recuses from hearing bail pleas of Sharjeel Imam, others

Delhi High Court judge Amit Sharma recused himself on Thursday from hearing a batch of bail pleas in a UAPA case linked to an alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 communal riots here, including that of student activist Sharjeel Imam. The matters were listed before a division bench headed by Justice Prathiba M Singh after a change in the roster of judges dealing with such cases. "Let these matters be listed before another bench of which one of us, Justice Sharma, is not a member, subject to the orders of the acting chief justice, on July 24," Justice Singh ordered. The other accused persons in the case include Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) youth wing leader and Jamia Millia Islamia student Meeran Haider and Alumni Association of Jamia Millia Islamia president Shifa-ur-Rehman. Imam, United Against Hate founder Khalid Saifi and several others, including former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid, have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA

21 retired judges write to CJI against attempts to 'undermine' judiciary

Former Supreme Court and high court judges expressed concerns over attempts by certain factions 'to undermine the judiciary through calculated pressure, misinformation, and public disparagement'

Gyanvapi mosque row: HC judge recuses from hearing plea against court order

Allahabad High Court judge Justice Manish Kumar Nigam on Wednesday recused himself from hearing a plea challenging the Varanasi district court's refusal to direct the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to undertake a survey of the 'wazukhana' area except the 'Shivling' inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex. The court said the matter be placed before the court of chief justice for nomination of another judge and fixed January 31 as the next date of hearing. The revision petition was filed by Rakhi Singh, who is one of the plaintiffs in the Shringar Gauri worshipping suit which is presently pending before the Varanasi district court. In her application before the Varanasi court, which was rejected on October 21, 2023, the primary contention raised by Singh was that the survey of the wazukhana, excluding the 'Shivling' is necessary to ascertain the religious character of the property in question. However, while rejecting her application, the district judge had observed in his order tha

Ministry of Law and Justice notifies transfer of several high court judges

Recently, the collegium has recommended the transfer of several judges from High Courts across the country despite requests from several of them to reconsider its decision

Two HC judges elevated to SC, total strength of apex court reaches 34

Two high court chief justices were on Friday elevated to the Supreme Court, bringing the total strength of the apex court to its maximum of 34 judges. "As per the provisions under the Constitution of India, Hon'ble President of India has appointed the following Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court. My best to them: Rajesh Bindal, Chief Justice, Allahabad HC and Aravind Kumar, Chief Justice, Gujarat HC," Law Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted. Once they take oath, the top court will achieve its full strength of 34 judges, including the Chief Justice of India. Their names were recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium last month. Last week, five judges were appointed to the Supreme Court.

Aspersions should not be cast on appointment of Victoria as HC judge: Govt

Differences of opinion are a part of democracy and there are ways to find solutions to that, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Thursday in Rajya Sabha on whether there exists differences between the judiciary and the executive on the issue of appointment of judges. The government also said aspersions should not be cast on appointment of Victoria Gowri as a judge of the high court, asserting that she has been appointed through a process. Asked by TMC member Jawhar Sircar whether the appointment of Gowri was right even when she has been accused in public of making casteist remarks, of remarks against minorities, Leader of the House Piyush Goyal sought the indulgence of the chair. "I think there should be some decorum. An honourable judge has been duly appointed through a process. I don't think we, as honourable members here, should be casting aspersions of this nature. I seek your indulgence," Goyal said. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said the three wings of the state have to

Gowri to take oath as Madras HC judge, SC to hear plea against her today

Advocate Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri, whose appointment has been challenged in the Supreme Court, will take oath as a judge of the Madras High Court at 10.35 a.m. on Tuesday

There was no proposal to reintroduce a modified NJAC, says Centre

The Centre further said that out of the 34 judge strength of the Supreme Court, 27 judges are working in the, which puts the vacancy to 7

Supreme Court to set up separate special Bench to hear tax matters

Abhishek Rastogi said the Bench would be useful to expedite the matters and would also ensure that a lot of matters on the same issue were clubbed and placed in one single Bench

A fresh beginning

Justice Chandrachud's term will be closely followed

SC dismisses plea to block Justice Chandrachud's appointment as next CJI

The petition sought contempt proceedings and criminal action against Justice Chandrachud, objected to CJI Lalit hearing the case

SC appointments: What is the collegium system, and how does it work?

The collegium is a group consisting of the Chief Justice of India and the four seniormost judges of the Supreme Court that decides the appointment of judges to the apex court