Five new High Court Chief Justices appointed

President Pranab Mukherjee has approved the appointment of five new Chief Justices across various high courts in the country. They have been appointed to Kerala, Calcutta, Sikkim, Tripura and Manipur high courts. The Centre’s quick action comes a day after attorney-general Mukul Rohtagi informed the Supreme Court that there is no logjam and the process of appointments of high court judges are in progress. The attorney-general had informed the court that the issue of appointment of high court judges was featured as the top priority in the agenda of the Central government and if at all there was any delay it was caused only at the HCs level. Justice Shanatanago-udar Mohan Mallikarjunago-uda, who was earlier transferred as senior-most judge from the High Court of Karnataka to the High Court of Kerala and later appointed as Acting Chief Justice, has been confirmed as Chief Justice of the High Court of Kerala with effect from the date he assumes charge.

Justice Girish Chandra Gupta has been elevated as Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court in the vacancy caused following the transfer of Justice Manjula Chellur as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. Justice Satish Kumar Agnihotri, Acting Chief Justice, High Court of Sikkim, has been tipped to be confirmed as its next Chief Justice. Justice Tinlianthangh and Justice Rakesh Ranjan have been elevated as new Chief Justices of the High Courts of Tripura and Manipur, respectively say a notification issued by the Union Law Ministry.