The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, has recommended the appointment of Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh as the Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court.
Justice Singh was appointed as a judge of the Patna High Court in April 2012 and has been functioning there as the senior most puisne judge.
Before his elevation as the judge, he was enrolled at the Bar in 1990 and practised at the Patna High Court. His area of practice was constitutional, service, criminal and arbitration matters.
During his practice of 22 years, he had also served as Additional Advocate General for Bihar since December 2010 till his elevation as a judge of the high court.
The SC Collegium noted that "during his tenure of more than 11 years as a judge of high court, he authored 1,246 reported judgments, of which 562 were delivered during the last five years."
"He has maintained a high standard of professional ethics at the Bar and Bench and enjoys good reputation for conduct and integrity," it added.
In a statement released on Thursday, the SC Collegium said that it has also taken into consideration the fact that at present the Patna High Court has no representation among the Chief Justices of High Courts.
"The Collegium is of the considered view that Mr Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh is fit and suitable in all respects for being appointed as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Orissa," it added.
A vacancy in the office of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Orissa has arisen consequent upon the retirement of Justice Subhasis Talapatra on October 3 this year.
The Memorandum of Procedure relating to appointment of the Chief Justice of a high court provides that "a fair representation shall be given to various high courts for the selection of Chief Justices. For purposes of such selection, inter-se seniority of puisne Judges will be reckoned on the basis of their seniority in their own high court. The consideration for the appointment of Chief Justices shall be based on the criterion of seniority subject to merit and integrity."
(With inputs from IANS)
