New Delhi: Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Friday said some more judges would soon be appointed in the Bombay High Court. The observation was made by the Chief Justice, who was heading a bench comprising Justice Manoj Misra, during a hearing of an appeal arising against a Bombay High Court order.
"The petitions are listed (for hearing) only after they are mentioned before the bench," a lawyer said. Referring to the high court's workload, the Chief Justice asked the lawyer to "tell the government to appoint more judges" and then they would have enough members and the time to hear cases.
"Wait for a few more days, you will get some judges to the Bombay HC," he said, adding that the apex court collegium made certain recommendations for appointment of judges in the high court and they were pending with the government. The high court has a sanctioned strength of 94 judges, with the current strength being 66 sitting judges. Consequently, there are 28 vacancies.
On September 24, the apex court collegium comprising the Chief Justice, Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice BR Gavai recommended names of nine advocates -- Rajesh Sudhakar Datar, Sachin Shivajirao Deshmukh, Gautam Ashwin Ankhad, Mahendra Madhavrao Nerlik, Nivedita Prakash Mehta, Prafulla Surendrakumar Khubalkar, Ashwin Damodar Bhobe, Rohit Wasudeo Joshi, and Advait Mahendra Sethna -- for appointment as judges of Bombay High Court.
