Five additional judges of the Karnataka High Court have been given extension of four to six months.
A Law Ministry statement said on Friday that Arakalagudu Venkataramaiah Chandrashekara has been granted extension as an additional judge with effect from January 24 till May 29. Similarly, Pradeep Dattatraya Waingankar will be an additional judge with effect from January 24 till April 9. Rathnakala, Budihal Rudrappa Bhimappa and Koratagere Narasimha Murthy Phaneendra will be additional judges for six months with effect from January 24.
The extensions were granted as the Supreme Court collegium has decided against recommending fresh appointments until a new Memorandum of Procedure (MoP), a document which guides appointment of members to the higher judiciary, is finalised. Usually, additional judges are appointed for two years and later elevated to permanent judges.
Seeking to overcome the shortage of judges in high courts, the Central government had sought the approval of the Supreme Court to extend the terms of judges from three to six months when the validity of the National Judicial Appointments Act, 2014, was being heard in the apex court. The law was struck down on October 16, 2015.
Though the collegium system which the new law had sought to overturn is back, the apex court collegium has indicated that no new fresh appointments will be recommended until the new MoP is finalised. The government is finalising the MoP which will be approved by the Supreme Court collegium headed by the Chief Justice of India.
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