With Justice Kaul's retirement, Justice Bose inducted into 5-judge SC Collegium
Dec 27, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 27 : After the retirement of the second senior most judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul on December 25, Justice Aniruddha Bose has now been inducted into the five-judge Supreme Court Collegium.
Collegium recommends names for the elevation to the Supreme Court and the transfer of High Court judges.
The new Collegium of the Supreme Court now comprises Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Surya Kant and Justice Bose.
Justice Bose will be in the collegium until April 10, 2024.
With Justice Kaul's retirement, Justice Gavai will join the CJI and Justice Khanna in the three-judge collegium, which recommends names for the appointment of judges to the High Courts.
Justice Kaul, while hearing a case relating names cleared by the Collegium pending with the government, had said the government's tinkering with judicial seniority through "selective" appointments and transfers of High Court judges many trigger responses from the Collegium, which may create "embarrassing" outcomes.
He had earlier made it clear to the Centre to not selectively bypass people recommended by the Collegium for judicial appointment merely for their political connections or for defending a case against the government in court.
Justice Kaul had said the government's "pick-and-choose policy" both in the appointment and transfers of the High Court judges was a matter of "great concern."
