New Delhi, Apr 20 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Wednesday recommended Justice Ramesh D. Dhanuka as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay.

The collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, said the office of the Chief Justice of High Court of Bombay has been lying vacant for quite some time, consequent upon the elevation of Justice Dipankar Datta to the Supreme Court. Therefore, an appointment to that office is required to be made and Justice Dhanuka was appointed as a judge of the High Court of Bombay on 23 January 2012, and he is due to demit office on 30 May 2023, it added, in a statement uploaded on apex court website.

The statement added that, "the Collegium has recommended the appointment of Justice S.V. Gangapurwala, the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay as Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. Justice Ramesh D. Dhanuka, who is next in order of seniority in the High Court of Bombay, will have a tenure of little over a month. He has served the High Court of Bombay with distinction since his appointment. Over the last 11 years, he has acquired sufficient experience on the judicial and administrative side as a puisne judge of the High Court."

The collegium said in view of the fact that Justice Dhanuka has a short tenure, in terms of the Memorandum of Procedure, the collegium resolves to recommend his appointment as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay, consequent of the appointment of Justice Gangapurwala, acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay, as Chief Justice of Madras High Court.

"In terms of the Memorandum of Procedure, consultation has been held with the consultee-Judge/s with a view to ascertain the suitability of Justice Ramesh D. Dhanuka for appointment as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay. The consultee-Judge/s have concurred with the proposed appointment. The Collegium, therefore, resolves to recommend that Mr Justice Ramesh D. Dhanuka be appointed as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay."