SC Collegium recommends the appointment of Gujarat High Court Judge Justice NV Anjaria as the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court

Today (February 07, 2024), the Supreme Court (SC) Collegium issued a resolution recommending the appointment of Justice NV Anjaria, Gujarat High Court Judge, as the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court. The resolution was issued by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, and Justice B.R. Gavai. While recommending his name, the SC Collegium observed that “He is a competent judge with a sound knowledge of law and possesses impeccable integrity. In his conduct as a judge, he has maintained the standard required of a person holding high judicial office.” The resolution also illustrated that a vacancy in the office of the Chief Justice of Karnataka HC would arise after the retirement of Mr. Justice P.S. Dinesh Kumar on February 24, 2024. Therefore, Justice NV Anjaria would be appointed as Chief Justice of Karnataka HC if cleared by the Central government. 

On November 21, 2011, Justice Anjaria was appointed as the judge of the Gujarat HC and has been working since then. The SC Collegium also noted that  “Before his elevation as a Judge of the High Court, he practiced in the High Court of Gujarat in civil, constitutional, company law, labor, and service matters and specialized in civil and constitutional cases.” While recommending his name for elevation as the Chief Justice of Karnataka HC, the SC Collegium considered Para 3 of the Memorandum of Procedure related to the appointment of CJ of the HC as under “A fair representation shall be given to various High Courts for selection of Chief Justices. For purposes of such selection, inter-se seniority of puisne Judges will be reckoned on the basis of their seniority in their own High Court. The consideration for appointment of Chief Justices shall be based on the criterion of seniority subject to merit and integrity.” 

The resolution reads, “The Collegium, therefore, resolves to recommend that Mr. Justice NV Anjaria be appointed as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka consequent upon the retirement of Mr. Justice P.S. Dinesh Kumar.”