New Delhi, Sep 20 (IANS): Acting swiftly on the recommendation made by the CJI D.Y. Chandrachud-led Supreme Court Collegium, the Centre on Friday notified the appointment of five permanent judges in the Madras High Court.
"In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint (i) Smt. Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri (ii) Shri Pillaipakkam Bahukutumbi Balaji, (iii) Shri Kandhasami Kulandaivelu Ramakrishnan, (iv) Smt. Ramachandran Kalaimathi and (v) Smt. K. Govindarajan Thilakavadi, Additional Judges of the Madras High Court, to be Judges of that High Court with effect from the date they assume charge of their respective offices," read a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.
The SC Collegium had, last week, forwarded its recommendation for the appointment of five additional judges of the Madras High Court as permanent judges. It said that it consulted a judge of the apex court, who is conversant with the affairs of the Madras High Court, in terms of the Memorandum of Procedure.
"Our sole consultee-colleague is of the opinion that all the five Additional Judges are eminently suitable for being appointed as permanent ones," it said.
It further said: "A Committee of two Judges of the Supreme Court constituted by the Chief Justice of India in terms of the Resolution dated 26 October 2017 of the Supreme Court Collegium has assessed the judgments of the above-named Additional Judges."
The SC Collegium stated that it has scrutinised and evaluated the material placed on record, including the opinion of the sole consultee-judge and the reports of the Judgment Assessment Committee, to assess the merit and suitability of these additional judges for appointment as permanent judges in the Madras High Court. Bearing in mind all aspects, the Collegium resolved that these additional judges be appointed as permanent judges in the Madras High Court against the existing vacancies. "The Chief Minister and the Governor of the State of Tamil Nadu have concurred with the above recommendation," said a statement uploaded on the website of the apex court.