SC Collegium recommends appointment of two permanent judges in Andhra Pradesh HC

New Delhi, Aug 14 : The Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud has recommended the appointment of two additional judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court as permanent judges.

In May this year, the Collegium of the Andhra Pradesh High Court unanimously forwarded its recommendation naming Justices Venkata Jyothirmai Pratapa, and Venuthurumalli Gopala Krishna Rao.

The SC Collegium said that it has consulted other judges of the apex court who are conversant with the affairs of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in terms of the Memorandum of Procedure.

"A Committee of two Judges of the Supreme Court constituted by the Chief Justice of India in terms of the Resolution dated 26 October 2017 of the Supreme Court Collegium has assessed the judgments of the above-named Additional Judges," it said.

The SC Collegium said that it has scrutinised the materials placed on record, including the opinions of the consultee-colleagues and the reports of the Judgment Assessment Committee, to assess the merit and suitability of these additional judges for appointment as permanent judges in the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Bearing in mind all aspects, the SC Collegium resolved that these additional judges be appointed as permanent judges in the Andhra Pradesh High Court against the existing vacancies.

“As the views of the Chief Minister and the Governor of the State of Andhra Pradesh have not been received, the Department of Justice has forwarded the above recommendation by invoking para 14 of the Memorandum of Procedure which provides that if the comments of the State Constitutional authorities are not received within the prescribed time-frame, it should be presumed by the Minister of Law and Justice that the Governor and the Chief Minister have nothing to add to the proposal and proceed accordingly,” said a statement uploaded on the website of the apex court.