Elevation of New Judges to the Supreme Court

Three new judges have been cleared by the Collegium for appointment as Supreme Court Judges including Justice Ranjana Desai, who is currently presiding as a judge of the Bombay High Court. The other names cleared for elevation are Justice S. J. Mukhopadhaya, Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court and Justice J.S. Khehar, Chief Jusitce of Karnataka High Court.

The buzz says that the Union Law Ministry has received these proposals from the Supreme Court and the process of appointment is expected to be completed in two to three weeks. 

Here are the short bio's of the Judges being elevated:

Justice Ranjana Desai, Bombay High Court

She was born on 30.10.1949. She completed her graduation from the Elphinstone College Bombay in April 1970 with Economics & Politics as subjects. She took her law degree from Government Law College Bombay in April 1973. She was enrolled as an Advocate on 30.07.1973. She handled criminal and civil matters. She worked as a Junior of Justice S.C. Pratap when he was the bar. She was appointed Honorary Assistant Government Pleader in High Court in 1979 and thereafter she was appointed Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor in High Court in 1983. In 1986, she was appointed as Special Public Prosecutor for Preventive Detention matters. From 1st November, 1995 she worked as Government Pleader, Appellate Side, High Court, Bombay.

She was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court for a period of 2 years w.e.f. 15.04.1996. She is appointed as Permanent Judge of this Hon'ble Court on 12th April, 1998.

Justice Khehar Singh, Chief Justice, Karnataka High Court

Justice Khehar was born on August 28, 1952. After graduating in science from Government College, Chandigarh in 1974, Justice Khehar was awarded the LL.B degree by the Panjab University, Chandigarh in 1977, he then acquired the LL.M. qualification from the same University in 1979, for the latter qualification, Justice Khehar was awarded the Gold Medal for having stood first in the University.

Justice Khehar was enrolled as an Advocate in 1979 and practiced mainly in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh High Court, Shimla and the Supreme Court of India, New Delhi. Justice Khehar was appointed as Additional Advocate General, Punjab, in January 1992, and then as Senior Standing Counsel, Union Territory, Chandigarh. Justice Khehar was designated as Senior Advocate in February, 1995. His Lordship remained standing counsel for Universities of the area, Corporate Bodies and a large number of companies and cooperative organizations.

Justice Khehar was elevated to the Bench of High Court of Punjab and Haryana, at Chandigarh, on February 8, 1999. Justice Khehar was appointed as Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court twice i.e., with effect from August 02, 2008, and again, with effect from November 17, 2009. Justice Khehar was elevated as Chief Justice of the High Court of Uttarakhand, at Nainital, on November 29, 2009 and thereafter he was transferred as Chief Justice of High Court of Karnataka, where he assumed hes office on August 8, 2010.

By a notification dated May 20, 2010 the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha appointed His Lordship as a member of the Judges Inquiry Committee for investigating the grounds on which the removal of Mr. Justice P.D. Dinakaran, Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, has been sought.

Justice Khehar is scheduled to retire on August 28, 2014.

Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya, Chief Justice, Gujarat High Court

Mr. Justice S.J.Mukhopadhaya born on 15th March,1950, is the son of Late Sarojendu Mukherjee who was himself a leading practitioner specially in Service law in Patna High Court. He passed B.Sc. examination in 1971 from Magadh University. He obtained his LL.B Degree in 1979 from Patna University. Enrolled as an Advocate on 18th May 1979 and practised at Patna and Ranchi Bench of Patna High Court in Constitutional, Service, Civil and Criminal matters. He was designated as Senior Advocate in February, 1993

Appointed as a Permanent Judge of the Patna High Court on 8th November, 1994. As a Judge, decided several important civil and Constitutional cases including deciding the vires of Bihar Panchayat Raj Act, 1993, wherein held that the limit of reservation of 50% as upheld by the Supreme Court of India, is equally applicable, so far as article 243D and/or Panchayat Raj Act is concerned. Also held in the said judgment that reservation for the seat of "Mukhiya" or "Pramukh" or "Adhyakchh", reservation of solitary post amounts to 100% reservation which is not permissible. The permissible limit being 50%, therefore no reservation can be made for Mukhiya/Pramukh/Adhyakchh. By notification dated 14th November, 2000 became the Judge of the Jharkhand High Court w.e.f. 15th November 2000. Transferred to Madras High Court on 31.08.2006. Functioned as Acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court from 09.05.2008 to18.05.2008.

Mr. Justice S.J.Mukhopadhaya assumed charge as the Chief Justice of High Court of Gujarat on 09.12.2009.

The elevations come as the present strength of judges in the Supreme Court is 28 and in view of the fact that six judges are due to retire shortly. List judges retiring this year are as under;

• Justice V.S. Sirpurkar - Date of Retirement : August 21, 2011.
• Justice H.S. Bedi - Date of Retirement : September 4, 2011.
• Justice Mukundakam Sharma - Date of Retirement : September 17, 2011. 
• Justice Markandey Katju - Date of Retirement : September 19, 2011.
• Justice J.M. Panchal - Date of Retirement : October 5, 2011.
• Justice R.V. Raveendran - Date of Retirement : October 14, 2011.