Government Approves Judicial Appointments in Delhi and Uttarakhand High Courts

New Delhi, Jan 6 (NationPress) On Monday, the government officially approved the judicial appointments for the High Courts of Delhi and Uttarakhand.

In a statement shared on X, Union Minister for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, revealed that President Droupadi Murmu has appointed attorneys Ajay Digpaul and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar as judges of the Delhi High Court, while judicial officer Ashish Naithani will serve as a judge of the Uttarakhand High Court.

According to a notification from the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, "In the exercise of the powers granted by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint S/Shri (i) Ajay Digpaul and (ii) Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar as Judges of the Delhi High Court, in that order of seniority, effective from the date they assume their respective offices."

A separate notice stated: "In the exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Ashish Naithani as a Judge of the High Court of Uttarakhand with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office."

During a meeting held on December 22, 2024, the Supreme Court Collegium also endorsed the proposal for the appointment of judicial officer Naithani as a judge of the Uttarakhand High Court.

In August of the previous year, the SC Collegium, led by then Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, recommended the elevation of advocates Digpaul, Shankar, and Shwetasree Majumder as judges in the Delhi High Court.

The apex court Collegium confirmed that it consulted other Supreme Court judges familiar with the affairs of the Delhi High Court to evaluate the qualifications and suitability of these candidates, adding that it reviewed the observations made by the Department of Justice and assessed the materials provided.

Advocate Digpaul, who has been involved in 42 reported judgments delivered by the Delhi High Court, boasts 31 years of substantial experience across various legal domains including civil, criminal, constitutional, labour, company, service, and commercial law, with a specialization in civil and criminal cases.

"Our sole consultee-Judge has provided a favorable opinion regarding the candidate's suitability for the position of Judge of the High Court. The insights from the Department of Justice in the file suggest that his professional competence is viewed positively and there are no adverse remarks concerning his integrity," noted the SC Collegium.

Advocate Shankar has an extensive background, evidenced by 180 reported judgments in cases he has argued. The apex court Collegium affirmed that the inputs from the Department of Justice in the file indicate his professional competence is regarded as strong and there are no negative comments regarding his integrity.

Nonetheless, the government has yet to announce the appointment of advocate Majumder, whose elevation was also included in the same recommendation.