Collegium recommends elevation of 4 judges as HC chief justices

The Supreme Court collegium is learnt to have recommended for elevation four judges as chief justices of various high courts. The four high courts of Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Gauhati for which new chief justices have been recommended are currently being looked after by acting chief justices.

While the chief justices of Rajasthan, Karnataka and Gauhati had retired last year, the chief justice of Meghalaya High Court had retired on January 16.

There is speculation that Delhi high court Chief Justice G Rohini has been recommended for transfer to the Madras high court in the same capacity, while the present incumbent in Chennai Justice SK Kaul has been recommended to be the next Chief Justice of the Allahabad high court. The present incumbent at Allahabad high court, Justice Dhananjaya Yashwant Chandrachud has been recommended by the collegium to head the Delhi high court.

While senior judges are set to become chief justices of Rajasthan, Meghalaya and Gauhati high courts, the acting chief justice of the Karnataka high court Justice SK Mukherjee has been recommended to head that high court as Chief Justice.

Sources said Justice Satish Kumar Mittal of the Punjab and Haryana high court is tipped to become the next Chief Justice of the Rajasthan high court, Justice Ajit Singh, a judge of the Rajathan high court is expected to head the Gauhati High Court. 

Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, a senior judge at the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad high court has been recommended to head the Meghalaya high court. There is also speculation that Justice DH Waghela, Chief Justice of the Orissa high court may move to the Bombay high  court. At present, the Bombay HC is headed by an acting Chief Justice.