SC collegium recommends elevation of two HC chief justices, Bombay HC judge as apex court judges

The five-member collegium headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai decided to recommend the names as against the three existing vacancies of judges in the top court following the superannuation of ex-CJI Sanjiv Khanna, and Justices Abhay S Oka and Hrishikesh Roy.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Collegium on Monday recommended for the elevation of Karnataka High Court Chief Justice N V Anjaria, Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi, and Bombay High Court judge Justice A S Chandurkar as judges of the top court.

Justice Anjaria belonged to the Gujarat High Court and Justice Bishnoi from the Rajasthan High Court.

The meeting of the Collegium was led by Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and comprising Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, Justice J K Maheshwari, and Justice B V Nagarathna.

This was the second recommendation made under the leadership of CJI Gavai after taking over as reins of the Collegium on May 14.

On May 15, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended the appointment of Karnataka High Court’s Justice Kempaiah Somashekar as Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court.

Notably, then CJI Sanjiv Khanna, and Justices Bela M Trivedi and A S Oka superannuated this month.

With these retirements, the Supreme Court was working with 31 judges as against the sanctioned strength of 34 judges.

Born on March 23, 1965 at Ahmedabad in Mandvi-Kachchh; family of lawyers, Justice Anjaria graduated from H L College of Commerce, Ahmedabad and LL B from Sir L A Shah Law College in 1988. He obtained Masters Degree in Law in 1989 from University School of Law, Ahmedabad.

His father was also in judiciary.

He started practice in the High Court of Gujarat from August 1988 by joining chamber ofS N Shelat, senior advocate. He conducted matters involving constitutional issue and all categories of civil cases, labour and service. Had been Standing Counsel / Panel Advocate for High Court and subordinate Courts, State Election Commission, Gujarat Information Commission, Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation, Municipalities, etc.

He has served as a senior panel counsel for Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), senior Standing Counsel for BSNL, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Counsel for Technical Education (AICTE), National Counsel for Teacher Education (NCTE).

He was elevated as Additional Judge, High Court of Gujarat on November 21, 2011 and confirmed as permanent Judge on September 06, 2013. Justice Anjaria took oath as the Chief Justice of High Court of Karnataka on February 25, 2024.

Justice Bishnoi was born on March 26, 1964 in Jodhpur. He got himself enrolled as an advocate on July 8, 1989. He practiced at the Rajasthan High Court and the Central Administrative Tribunal at Jodhpur in wide range of areas such as civil, criminal, Constitutional, service, election cases etc. He also served as Additional Central Government Standing Counsel during the years 2000-2004.

Justice Bishnoi was appointed as Additional Judge of the Rajasthan High Court on January 8, 2013. He took oath as a permanent judge of the Rajasthan High Court on January 7, 2015.

He functioned as the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court on February 5, 2024.

Justice Chandurkar was born on April 7, 1965. He completed his schooling at St Vincents' High School, Pune and graduated from Ness Wadia College, Pune and also ILS Law College, Pune.

After obtaining Law Degree, he joined the Bar on July 21, 1988. Commenced practise in the Chambers of B N Naik, senior advocate, Mumbai who was later elevated to the Bench.

He shifted to Nagpur in 1992 and practised in various Courts and handled matters of various nature. He has authored two books on "The Maharashtra Municipal Council Nagar Panchayats & Industrial Townships Act, 1965 and The Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999.

He was elevated as Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on June 21, 2013.