PMO clears list of nine names for elevation as Supreme Court judges

The government wanted some individuals to be reconsidered but Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana declined to concede the request

Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana: File picture

R. Balaji   |   TT  |  New Delhi   |   26.08.21: The Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday evening cleared the names of all the nine judges recommended by the Supreme Court collegium for elevation as judges of the apex court.

Sources said the government wanted some names to be reconsidered but Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana declined to concede the request.

All the recommended names should be cleared, the CJI is learnt to have insisted, following which the PMO did so, the sources added.

With Wednesday’s approval, the number of apex court judges has gone up to 33, including the CJI, against the sanctioned strength of 34.

The recommendations made by the collegium were cleared within a week by the Narendra Modi government despite its constant friction with sections of the judiciary.

The sources said the swift approval of all the recommended names was expected to help usher in a thaw between the executive and the judiciary.

What is perceived to have been a key irritant had already been removed as the recommended names did not include that of Justice Akil Kureshi, one of the most senior high court chief justices. Justice Kureshi, now heading Tripura High Court, had sent Amit Shah, the current Union home minister, to CBI custody in 2010.

This is the first time that the names of nine judges were recommended for elevation at one go by the collegium, now headed by CJI Ramana.

The sources said the PMO, after approving the names, forwarded the list to the Union law ministry for its onward transit to the President for issuing the necessary warrant of appointment.

The nine names cleared include those of three women judges.