• The Supreme Court collegium headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana has recommended as many as 68 names in one go for appointment as judges in 12 High Courts.

• The collegium, in its meetings held on August 25 and September 1, considered as many as 112 candidates for elevation as judges in High Courts.

• Among those 68 cleared for 12 High Courts, 44 are from the Bar and 24 are from the judicial service.

The judges, if cleared by the Centre, will be appointed in High Courts at:

• Allahabad

• Rajasthan

• Calcutta

• Jharkhand

• Jammu & Kashmir

• Madras

• Madhya Pradesh

• Karnataka

• Punjab and Haryana

• Kerala

• Chhattisgarh

• Assam.

• In a historic decision on August 17, the five-member Collegium headed by the CJI had recommended nine names for elevation as judges of the Supreme Court, including three women. The names were cleared with significant pace by the Centre leading to a historic swearing-in ceremony on August 31 when the new judges were administered oath of office as apex court judges.

Appointment of HC judges

• The High Court stands at the head of a state’s judicial administration.

• Article 214 of the Indian Constitution provides for a High Court for each state. The Seventh Constitutional Amendment Act of 1956 authorised the Parliament under Article 231 to establish a common High Court for two or more states and a Union Territory. 

• Articles 214 to 231 of the Constitution deals with the organisation, independence, jurisdiction, powers, procedures and other issues related to the High Courts.

• The Chief Justice and judges of the High Courts are appointed by the President under Article 217(1) of the Constitution.

• To be eligible for appointment as a HC judge one must be a citizen of India, have held a judicial office in India for ten years or must have practised as an advocate of a High Court or two or more such courts in succession for a similar period.

What is the collegium system?

• The collegium system is a forum including the Chief Justice of India and four senior-most judges of the SC, which recommends appointments and transfers of judges. 

• Judges of the higher judiciary are appointed only through the collegium system, and the government has a role only after names have been decided by the collegium.

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