Mass elevation, transfer of HC judges on cards

Collegium still in consultation, file will go to new Law Minister

The Supreme Court collegium is considering mass elevation and transfer of High Court judges.

Highly-placed sources told The Hindu that the collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha, was still in the process of consultation. Consent of judges for transfer was being obtained and the file would be sent to the Law Ministry after the new Law Minister assumes office.

According to the proposal, the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Sanjay Kishan Kaul, is to be shifted to the Madras High Court . He will replace the acting Chief Justice S.K. Agnihotri.

Justice K.L. Manjunath, the seniormost judge of the Karnataka High Court, is being shifted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court and he is likely to succeed Justice Kaul as its Chief Justice. Justice Ashutosh Mohunta, who was transferred to the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 2010, will return to the Punjab and Haryana High Court on medical grounds. The Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, Manjula Chellur, is to be shifted as Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, where the incumbent, Justice Arun Mishra, has been recommended for elevation as Supreme Court judge.

The seniormost judge of the Kerala High Court, Justice K.M. Joseph, who was earlier considered for appointment as Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, is to be transferred to the Uttarakhand High Court.

The seniormost judge of the Patna High Court, Justice Navin Sinha, is being considered for transfer to the Chhattisgarh High Court. The Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, Amitava Roy, is likely to be shifted to the Orissa High Court to succeed Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, who is to be promoted as Supreme Court judge. Justice Sunil Sinha of the Chhattisgarh High Court is being shifted to the Sikkim High Court.