SC collegium recommends 6 Punjab & Haryana HC addl judges be made permanent

New Delhi, April 18 The Supreme Court collegium has recommended the names of six additional judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court for appointment as permanent judges.

The collegium headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K.M. Joseph said: "The Collegium resolves to recommend that Justices (i) Vikas Bahl, (ii) Vikas Suri, (iii) Sandeep Moudgil, (iv) Vinod Sharma (Bhardwaj), (v) Pankaj Jain, and (vi) Jasjit Singh Bedi, Additional Judges, be appointed as Permanent Judges of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana against the existing vacancies. Since the current two-year term of one of the Additional Judges is due to expire on May 24, 2023, the above recommendation may be processed expeditiously."

The collegium took the decisions in its meeting on April 17.

It added that on December 19, 2022, the collegium of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana unanimously recommended the additional judges whose names are set out above for appointment as permanent judges.

The collegium said the recommendations have the concurrence of the Chief Ministers and the Governors of Punjab and Haryana, and have been received from the Department of Justice on April 13, 2023.

"The Committee constituted in terms of the Resolution dated October 26, 2017 of the Supreme Court Collegium to evaluate the Judgments of the above-named Additional Judges, has submitted its report," it said.