Has the SC Collegium Recommended Judges for Punjab and Haryana HC?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Supreme Court Collegium recommends two judicial officers for elevation.
- Appointment process involves consultations with senior judges.
- Chief Justice of High Court initiates the proposal.
- Governor and Chief Minister play critical roles in forwarding recommendations.
- Appointment is finalized by the President upon the CJI's recommendation.
New Delhi, Dec 17 (NationPress) The Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, has put forth recommendations for the elevation of two judicial officers to judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The proposal for appointing Ramesh Chander Dimri and Neerja Kulwant Kalson was initiated by the Chief Justice of the P&H High Court in consultation with two senior judges.
According to a statement published on the apex court's website, "The Supreme Court Collegium, during its meeting on December 16, 2025, has sanctioned the proposal for the appointment of the following Judicial Officers as Judges of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana: (i) Shri Ramesh Chander Dimri, and (ii) Ms. Neerja Kulwant Kalson."
In line with the memorandum of procedure (MoP) for High Court judge appointments, the Chief Justice initiates the proposal.
If the Chief Minister wishes to recommend a name, it must be sent to the Chief Justice for consideration. The Governor, upon the Chief Minister's advice, is expected to forward this recommendation along with all relevant documents to the Union Minister of Law & Justice promptly, and within six weeks of receiving the proposal from the Chief Justice of the High Court.
This proposal is then evaluated by the Centre along with other background information before being submitted to the CJI, who consults the two senior-most Supreme Court judges prior to finalizing a recommendation.
After these consultations, the CJI will forward his recommendation to the Union Minister of Law & Justice within four weeks.
As per the MoP, once the President signs the appointment warrant, the Secretary of the Department of Justice will notify the Chief Justice, and a copy of this communication will be sent to the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister will then announce the appointment and publish the necessary notification in the Gazette of India.