New Delhi:
President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday elevated Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Sanjiv Khanna to the Supreme Court. The five-member Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi took the decision to recommend the names of two judges in its meeting on January 10. The Supreme Court Collegium, also comprising justices A K Sikri, S A Bobde, N V Ramana and Arun Mishra, made the decision public at the court’s official website on Friday.
Justice Maheshwari stands at Sl. No. 21 in the combined seniority of high court judges on the all-India basis. Justice Khanna was appointed a judge of the Delhi High Court on June 24, 2005, and since has been functioning there. He stands at Sl.No. 33 in the combined seniority of high court judges on the all-India basis.
The decision of the Supreme Court collegium to elevate Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Delhi High Court judge Justice Sanjiv Khanna to the Supreme Court was earlier embroiled in controversy.
The names of Justice Pradeep Nandrajog, the Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court and Justice Rajendra Menon, the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court were recommended by the Supreme Court last month for elevation. However, a new collegium on January 10, which was formed after Justice Madan Lokur retired, decided to elevate Justice Maheshwari and Justice Khanna.
The new collegium now comprises of the CJI and four other senior most judges – Justice AK Sikri, Justice SA Bobde, Justice NV Ramana and Justice Arun Mishra.
Justice Dinesh Maheshwari was appointed the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court on February 12, 2018. Justice Maheshwari is the 21st senior-most judge in the combined seniority of High Court Judges on the all-India basis, states Bar and Bench. Justice Sanjiv Khanna became a permanent judge on February 20, 2006. He is the 33rd senior-most judge in the combined seniority of High Court judges across India and is the third senior-most judge in the Delhi High Court.
