New Delhi, Dec 28 (IANS): The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, has recommended the appointment of Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava as the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court.

Justice Shrivastava is presently functioning as Acting Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court and was appointed as a judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court in December 2009. Before his elevation as the judge, he practised at the Raigarh district court and High Courts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

His area of practice was constitutional, service, taxation, labour, civil and criminal cases and he specialised in constitutional, taxation and service law.

The SC Collegium noted that "during his tenure of over 14 years as a Judge of the High Court, he has authored more than 505 reported judgments".

"He has acquired considerable experience of dispensing justice in two High Courts," it added.

In a statement released on Thursday, the SC Collegium said that it has also taken into consideration the fact that the High Court of Chhattisgarh does not have any representation among the Chief Justices of the High Courts.

"The Collegium is of the considered view that Mr Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava is fit and suitable in all respects for being appointed as the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court," it added.

The vacancy in the office of the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court had arisen consequent upon elevation of Justice Augustine George Masih to the Supreme Court on November 9 this year.

The Memorandum of Procedure relating to appointment of Chief Justice of a High Court provides that “a fair representation shall be given to various High Courts for selection of Chief Justices. For purposes of such selection, inter-se seniority of puisne Judges will be reckoned on the basis of their seniority in their own High Court. The consideration for appointment of Chief Justices shall be based on the criterion of seniority subject to merit and integrity.