Supreme Court Collegium recommends the appointment of five additional judges of the Karnataka High Court as permanent judges

The Supreme Court (SC) Collegium recommended the appointment of five additional judges of the Karnataka High Court as permanent judges. The recommended additional judges for appointment as permanent judges are Shri Justice Cheppudira Monnappa Poonacha, Shri Justice Anil Bheemsen Katti, Shri Justice Chandrashekhar Mrutyunjaya Joshi, Shri Justice Umesh Manjunathbhat Adiga, and Shri Justice Talkad Girigowda Shivashankare Gowda. The SC Collegium also recommended the appointment of Shri Justice Gurusiddaiah Basavaraja as an Additional Judge of the Karnataka High Court for a fresh term of one year with effect from August 16, 2024. The Collegium resolution was passed on April 03, 2024, by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, and Justice BR Gavai. 

On January 20, 2024, the Karnataka HC Collegium unanimously recommended that 5 Additional Judges be appointed as permanent Judges of that High Court and the term of another Additional Judge viz. Shri Justice Gurusiddaiah Basavaraja, be extended for a further period of one year. The Chief Minister and the Governor of the State of Karnataka have agreed with the above recommendation. In terms of the Memorandum of Procedure, the SC judges who are conversant with the functioning of the Karnataka HC were consulted to ascertain the suitability of the above Additional Judges for appointment in terms of the recommendation referred to above. Further, the Collegium illustrated that the Committee of two judges of the SC assessed the judgments of the aforementioned additional judges. 

In this context, the resolution reads, “With a view to assess the merit and suitability of the above Additional Judges for appointment as permanent Judges, we have scrutinized and evaluated the material placed on record. Having considered all aspects of the matter and on an overall consideration of the above proposal, the Collegium is of the view that S/Shri Justices (i) Cheppudira Monnappa Poonacha, (ii) Anil Bheemsen Katti, (iii) Chandrashekhar Mrutyunjaya Joshi, (iv) Umesh Manjunathbhat Adiga, and (v) Talkad Girigowda Shivashankare Gowda, Additional Judges, are fit and suitable for being appointed as permanent Judges.” As regards Shri Justice Gurusiddaiah Basavaraja, the SC Collegium fully agreed with the recommendation of the Karnataka HC Collegium and said that Justice Basavaraja deserves to be appointed as an Additional Judge for a fresh term of one year with effect from August 16, 2024.