Collegium recommends A.P. Chief Justice
Context:
The senior lawyer K.V. Viswanathan was recommended for appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court Collegium on Tuesday, citing his extensive experience and in-depth legal expertise as a “significant value addition” to the court.
Points to Ponder:
- To cover the positions left open by the May retirement of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and M.R. Shah, the Supreme Court Collegium has proposed the appointment of two judges to the Supreme Court of India.
- The highest court judge K.V. Viswanathan is to be appointed, according to the first suggestion. The collegium emphasised his extensive expertise and in-depth legal understanding as a substantial asset to the court.
- In August 2030, K.V. Viswanathan would succeed Justice J.B. Pardiwala as the 58th Chief Justice of India if the government approved his nomination. He will be the fourth legal professional to ascend directly to the position of Chief Justice of India.
- Only one such judge, Justice P.S. Narasimha, is now sitting on the Supreme Court Bench, hence the collegium chose to suggest a person from the bar. The Supreme Court would have better representation of the bar as a result of K.V. Viswanathan’s appointment.
- K.V. Viswanathan graduated from Coimbatore Law College, Bharathiyar University, with a law degree, and in 1988 he registered with the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu. He has more than 20 years of experience working in the Supreme Court, where he focuses on constitutional, criminal, commercial, bankruptcy, and arbitration law. On numerous occasions, he has also acted as the court’s amicus curiae.
- The second suggestion is that Prashant Kumar Mishra, the chief justice of Andhra Pradesh, be appointed as a justice of the Supreme Court. In making this choice, the collegium took into account the qualifications, character, and expertise of potential Chief Justices and senior puisne judges of the High Courts.
- Chhattisgarh is the home state of Justice Mishra’s High Court, and his selection would represent a state that isn’t currently represented among the existing Supreme Court judges.
- The collegium determined that Justice Mishra was “worthy” of selection to the Supreme Court despite the seniority of Allahabad Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker, who also hails from the Chhattisgarh High Court.
- On December 10, 2009, Justice Mishra was named a Chhattisgarh High Court judge. On October 13, 2021, he was named Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
- These suggestions come in advance of a number of judicial retirements in 2023, and the appointments would assist fill the vacancies and guarantee a fair makeup of the Supreme Court.
