New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS): President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed chief justices to eight high courts, including Allahabad and Madhya Pradesh, besides approving the transfer of five chief justices in other high courts.
According to a notification issued by the Department of Justice, Rajesh Bindal, acting Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, would now be the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court. Justice Prakash Shrivastava of Madhya Pradesh High Court will now be the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court.
Similarly, the acting Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court, Satish Chandra Sharma, will now be the Chief Justice of Telangana High Court, while Justice Ranjit V. More of the Meghalaya High Court will take charge as the Chief Justice of the same court. Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi of Allahabad High Court would now be the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court.
Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra of Chhattisgarh High Court will be the Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court.
Justice Aravind Kumar of the Karnataka High Court will now be the Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court, while R.V. Malimath, who is the acting Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court, will now be the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court.
In a major decision on September 17, the Supreme Court collegium had recommended the elevation of eight judges as chief justices of various high courts. The Centre has now acted on this recommendation by the collegium.
Besides the appointment of eight new chief justices to various high courts, the Centre also notified the transfer of justice Akil A Kureshi, currently Chief Justice of Tripura High Court, to the Rajasthan High Court.
The Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court, Indrajit Mahanty, has been transferred to the Tripura High Court; Mohammad Rafiq, Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court, has been transferred to Himachal Pradesh Hogh Court; Biswanath Somadder, Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court, has been transferred to Sikkim High Court; and A.K. Goswami, Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court, has been transferred to Chattisgarh High Court.