SC Collegium recommends appointment of 4 Advocates as Judges for Madras, Karnataka and Bombay High Courts

The Supreme Court Collegium comprising of Chief Justice of India, Dr. DY Chandrachud, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Sanjiv Khanna, on 18-07-2023, resolved to recommend Advocate N Senthilkumar and Advocate G Arul Murugan for appointment as a Judge of the High Court of Judicature at Madras¹, Advocate Kurubarahalli Venkataramareddy Aravind for appointment as a Judge of the High Court of Karnataka² and Advocate Manjusha Ajay Deshpande for appointment as a Judge of the High Court of Bombay³.

High Court of Judicature at Madras

On 03-08-2022, recommendation for appointment of the two Advocates as Judges of the High Court of Judicature at Madras was made by the Collegium of the High Court of Judicature at Madras and the same was concurred by the Chief Minister and the Governor of State of Tamil Nadu.

On 17-01-2023, while noting the observations of the Department of Justice in the file, the Supreme Court Collegium considered the said proposal and asked for specific material, if any, from the government. The Supreme Court received the file with the remark that government does not have any additional inputs remark that government does not have any additional inputs.

On 27-07-2023, the Chief Justice of the High Court of Judicature at Madras, Justice Sanjay V Gangapurwala forwarded the Minutes of the High Court Collegium in regard to the suitability of the two candidates.

Following the consultation procedure laid down in the Memorandum of Procedure, the Supreme Court Collegium scrutinized and evaluated the material placed on record including the observations of the Department of Justice in the file.

Advocate N. Senthilkumar

The Collegium observed that Advocate N. Senthilkumar has a standing of over 28 years at the Bar and has appeared before the High Court in a number of constitutional, criminal, service and civil cases. It was observed that his field of specialisation is criminal and constitutional law and also has been on the panel of government in various positions on different occasions. It was observed that Advocate N. Senthilkumar has good practice, which is reflected in his average professional income and the thirty reported judgments in cases in which he has appeared. It was further observed that, since he belongs to Scheduled Caste, his appointment as a judge will enhance the representation of marginalised communities on the Bench. The Collegium considered all the above-mentioned factors and decided that Advocate N. Senthilkumar would be a valuable addition to the High Court of Judicature at Madras.

Advocate G Arul Murugan

The Collegium observed that Advocate G. Arul Murugan has experience of over 24 years at the Bar and has appeared in cases resulting in 75 reported judgments. It was observed that he has specialised in civil, criminal and writ cases. It was further observed that, since he belongs to OBC category, his appointment as a judge will facilitate greater representation to the OBCs in appointment to the higher judiciary. According to the Collegium, Advocate G. Arul Murugan is suitable for the elevation to the High Court of Judicature at Madras.

High Court of Karnataka

On 16-08-2022, recommendation for appointment of Advocate Kurubarahalli Venkatarama reddy Aravind as Judges of the High Court of Karnataka was made by the Collegium of the High Court of Karnataka and the same was concurred by the Chief Minister and the Governor of State of Karnataka.

Following the consultation procedure laid down in the Memorandum of Procedure, the Supreme Court Collegium scrutinized and evaluated the material placed on record including the observations of the Department of Justice in the file and noted that there is nothing adverse to the integrity or character of Advocate KV Aravind.

The Collegium observed that Advocate KV Aravind has a standing of nearly 23 years at the Bar. Throughout his career, he has served as Standing Counsel for numerous State government departments and has successfully handled cases that have led to 567 reported judgments. These achievements, along with his consistent professional income, are clear indicators of his substantial expertise and experience.

The Collegium observed that the High Court of Karnataka currently faces a significant volume of tax litigation cases and to effectively address this problem, there is a pressing need for specialized judges who possess in-depth knowledge and domain experience in this specific branch of law. Advocate KV Aravind’s lengthy standing at the Bar, his remarkable track record in representing various State government departments, and the substantial number of reported judgments highlights his competence and qualifications and therefore, the Collegium opined that Advocate KV Aravind is fit and suitable candidate for appointment as a Judge of the High Court of Karnataka.

High Court of Bombay

On 26-09-2022, recommendation for appointment of Advocate Manjusha Ajay Deshpande as Judges of the High Court of Bombay was made by the Collegium of the High Court of Bombay presided over by the then Chief Justice of the High Court and the same was concurred by the Chief Ministers and the Governors of State of Maharashtra.

After deferring its decision, the Supreme Court Collegium seeks a report of the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay regarding the recommendation of Advocate Manjusha Ajay Deshpande as Judges of the High Court of Bombay.

After considering the report dated 10-05-2023 submitted by the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay and following the consultation procedure laid down in the Memorandum of Procedure, the Collegium scrutinized and evaluated the material placed on record including the observations of the Department of Justice in the file and noted that Advocate Manjusha Ajay Deshpande is suitable for elevation.

The Collegium observed that Advocate Manjusha Ajay Deshpande is a competent lawyer and has a standing of over 32 years at the Bar. It was observed that Advocate Manjusha Ajay Deshpande possesses an extensive understanding of various branches of law, with a particular emphasis on constitutional and service matters and since 2013, she has been a valuable member of the government’s panel. It was further observed that her elevation to the position of Judge would significantly contribute to enhancing female representation on the Bench of the High Court of Bombay, especially among women lawyers practicing before the Aurangabad Bench.

Therefore, after careful consideration of her expertise in diverse legal domains, combined with her experience on the government’s panel and the potential for increasing gender diversity in the judiciary, the Collegium firmly believes that Advocate Manjusha Ajay Deshpande is highly qualified and well-suited for appointment as a Judge of the High Court of Bombay.