Supreme Court Collegium Recommends Additional Judge Justice Siddaiah Rachaiah for Appointment as a Permanent Judge of Karnataka High Court

The Supreme Court (SC) Collegium passed a resolution on October 15 (Yesterday), recommending the name of Mr. Justice Siddaiah Rachaiah, Additional Judge, Karnataka High Court for appointment as a Permanent Judge of that High Court. The Collegium constituting, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, and Justice BR Gavai issued the resolution stating that the recommendation may be processed expeditiously as the term of Mr. Justice Siddaiah Rachaiah as an Additional Judge is going to expire on November 07, 2024. The resolution reads, “As the views of the Chief Minister and the Governor of the State of Karnataka have not been received, the Department of Justice has forwarded the above recommendation by invoking para 14 of the Memorandum of Procedure which provides that if the comments of the State Constitutional authorities are not received within the prescribed time-frame, it should be presumed by the Minister of Law and Justice that the Governor and the Chief Minister have nothing to add to the proposal and proceed accordingly.” It also said that a Committee of two Judges of the Supreme Court constituted by the Chief Justice of India in terms of the Resolution dated 26 October 2017 of the Supreme Court Collegium assessed the judgments of Mr. Justice Siddaiah Rachaiah. The SC Collegium opined, “With a view to assess the merit and suitability of Mr Justice Siddaiah Rachaiah, Additional Judge for appointment as a Permanent Judge, the Collegium has scrutinized and evaluated the material placed on record, including the opinion of the consultee-Judges and the reports of the Judgment Assessment Committee. Bearing in mind all aspects of the above proposal, the Collegium is of the considered view that Mr Justice Siddaiah Rachaiah is suitable for appointment as a Permanent Judge of the High Court of Karnataka.”