Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the names of Bombay High Court Judges – Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai and Himachal Pradesh Chief Justice Surya Kant for elevation to the Supreme Court.
Both the judges have been recommended by the Collegium after taking into consideration the seniority criterion as well as, apart from their competence, conduct and integrity, states the resolution.
Who is Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai?
Born on November 24, 1960, Justice BR Gavai was enrolled at the Bar on March 16, 1985 and started practicing at the Bombay High Court, predominantly at the Nagpur Bench. Gavai was appointed as a Judge of the Bombay High Court on November 14, 2003 and has been functioning there since then.
Gavai has also served as Assistant Government Pleader, Additional Public Prosecutor and subsequently Public Prosecutor.
He stands at Sl. No.8 in the combined seniority of High Court Judges on all-India basis. The Collegium while recommending his name has duly considered Justice Gavai’s position (Sl.No.4) in the seniority of Judges hailing from Bombay High Court.
On his appointment, the Supreme Court Bench will have a Judge belonging to Scheduled Caste category after about a decade.
Who is Justice Surya Kant?
Justice Surya Kant started practicing law at the District Courts, Hisar in 1984 and shifted to Chandigarh in 1985 to practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
He was designated as Senior Advocate in March 2001. He also held the office of Advocate General, Haryana till his elevation as a Permanent Judge to the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 09, 2004.
He was elevated as Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court on October 5, 2018.
His name was mired in controversy last year when Justice AK Goel (then a Supreme Court judge) had penned a letter to then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra disagreeing with the proposal to appoint Justice Surya Kant as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.
