‘Yet to receive recommendations on 201 judges’ vacancies from HC collegiums’

NEW DELHI: Eighty-one of the 123 proposals sent by the High Court collegiums for appointment of judges are at various stages of processing with the government, Parliament was informed on Friday.

The remaining 42 proposals are under the consideration of the Supreme Court Collegium, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

He also said recommendations are yet to be received from the High Court collegiums regarding the remaining 201 vacancies.

According to the law ministry’s website, as on December 1, of the sanctioned strength of 1,114 judges for the 25 High Courts, there were 324 vacancies.

According to the established mechanism, the chief justice of a High Court initiates a proposal to fill vacancies of judges. All the names recommended by the High Court collegiums are sent with the views of the Central government to the Supreme Court Collegium.

The apex court collegium recommends some of the names while the others are sent back to the High Court collegiums.

The government then acts on the recommendations, with the president appointing judges. Some recommendations are returned to the Supreme Court Collegium for reconsideration. The government appoints only those who are recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium.