SC Collegium Accepts Centre’s Rejection Of Proposals To Elevate 3 Advocates To Allahabad And Chhattisgarh HCs

Supreme Court collegium has refused to reiterate the candidature of three Advocates recommended to be elevated to two High Courts.

The Collegium comprising Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice MB Lokur noted that the proposal to elevate Advocates Basharat Ali Khan & Mohd. Mansoor as Allahabad High Court judges was approved by the Supreme Court collegium in February 2016 as well as in April 2016.

However, when the file was sent back to the CJI, the collegium had, in November 2016, deferred the proposal in view of certain allegations that had cropped up against them. It had now received fresh inputs on these allegations and considered it appropriate to remit the proposal to the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court.

The resolution stated, “…the Supreme Court Collegium on 15th November 2016, deferred the proposal in respect of the above-named two Advocates in view of the observation made by the Department of Justice in the file that a complaint making allegations against them had been received and that fresh inputs thereon were awaited.

Now, the file referred to the Chief Justice of India along with fresh inputs on the said complaint has been placed before the Collegium. The Collegium after perusal of the fresh inputs and the material already placed in the file considers it appropriate to remit the above proposal to the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court.”

In a separate resolution, the collegium also remitted back the proposal for elevation of Advocate Bharroo Prakash Sharma as a Chhattisgarh High Court judge. While his candidature was recommended by the collegium in April last year, the same was referred back to the CJI for reconsideration.