Three HC judges transferred days after Collegium reiterates recommendation

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Supreme Court Collegium for a choice posting days earlier. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Twitter announced that Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh of the Allahabad High Court stands transferred to the Kerala High Court. Justice Manoj Bajaj of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has been posted to the Allahabad HC, while Gaurang Kanth of Delhi High Court stands transferred to the Calcutta High Court by the collegium headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud.

On July 12, the SC Collegium had reiterated its recommendations for transferring the three judges notwithstanding their representations for choice posting. Justice Kanth had made a representation on July 7, 2023 requesting a transfer to the Madhya Pradesh or Rajasthan High Court, or a court in any of the neighbouring states. «In terms of the Memorandum of Procedure, the collegium consulted one of the Judges of the Supreme Court, who being conversant with the affairs of the High Court of Delhi, is in a position to offer views on the proposed transfer.

»We have carefully gone through the request made by Mr. Justice Gaurang Kanth in his representation and bestowed our thoughtful consideration to the contents thereof. The Collegium does not find any merit in the request made by him," the collegium stated in its resolution.

A Bar body had reportedly opposed the transfer of Justice Kanth. In another decision, the collegium reiterated its recommendation to transfer Allahabad High Court judge Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh to the Kerala High Court for better administration of justice. Justice Singh had submitted a representation on July 11, 2023 requesting a transfer to nearby states such as the high courts of Delhi, Punjab & Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, or Rajasthan.