New Delhi, Dec 28 The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, has recommended the appointment of Justice Sheel Nagu as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Justice Nagu was appointed as a Judge of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh in May 2011 and has been functioning there since then.
Before his elevation as the judge, he practised at the High Court of Madhya Pradesh in constitutional, service, labour and criminal cases.
The SC Collegium noted that "during his tenure of over 12 years as a Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, he has authored more than 499 reported judgments".
"He has acquired extensive experience in dispensing justice at the High Court. He is the seniormost puisne Judge in his parent High Court. He is considered to be a competent judge and possesses a high level of integrity and conduct required of a person holding high judicial office," it added.
In a statement released on Thursday, the SC Collegium said that it has also taken into consideration the fact that the High Court of Madhya Pradesh is already represented by a Chief Justice among the Chief Justices of the High Courts.
"The Collegium is of the considered view that Mr Justice Sheel Nagu is fit and suitable in all respects for being appointed as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana," it added.
The vacancy in the office of the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has arisen consequent upon the retirement of Justice Ravi Shankar Jha.
The Memorandum of Procedure relating to appointment of Chief Justice of a High Court provides that “a fair representation shall be given to various High Courts for selection of Chief Justices. For purposes of such selection, inter-se seniority of puisne Judges will be reckoned on the basis of their seniority in their own High Court. The consideration for appointment of Chief Justices shall be based on the criterion of seniority subject to merit and integrity".
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