[BREAKING] Centre sitting over 11 names reiterated by Collegium as High Court judges: Contempt plea in Supreme Court

A contempt petition has been filed in the Supreme Court registering protest that the Central government is sitting over and delaying its decision on eleven names proposed for appointment as High Court Judges by the Supreme Court Collegium. (The Advocates Association Bengaluru vs Barun Mitra, Secretary (Justice).In its petitioner, the Advocates Association Bengaluru has contended that the Centre's conduct is in violation of the mandate laid down in the 2019 judgment of M/s PLR Projects Pvt. Ltd. v. Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd. & Ors..The contempt plea said that as per the PLR Projects judgment, after the Supreme Court Collegium headed by the Chief Justice of India reiterates a name for appointment as a judge such appointment should be processed and appointment should be made within 3 to 4 weeks..The petitioner-Association has contended that non-appointment of the eleven proposed as High Court Judges by the Supreme Court Collegium has "an adverse impact on the Rule of Law, which has been held to be a part of the basic structure of the Constitution.”.The Association highlighted the following eleven names: 1. Jaytosh Majumdar (Advocate)Proposed for appointment as Calcutta High Court Judge; First recommended on July 24, 2019; Name reiterated on September 1, 2021. .2. Amitesh Banerjee (Advocate)Proposed for appointment as Calcutta High Court Judge; First recommended on July 24, 2019; Name reiterated on September 1, 2021..3. Raja Basu Chowdhury (Advocate)Proposed for appointment as Calcutta High Court Judge; First recommended on July 24, 2019; Name reiterated on September 1, 2021..4. Lapita Banerji (Advocate)Proposed for appointment as Calcutta High Court Judge; First recommended on July 24, 2019; Name reiterated on September 1, 2021..5. Moksha Kazmi (Khajuria) (Advocate)Proposed for appointment as Jammu & Kashmir High Court Judge; First recommended on October 15, 2019; Name reiterated on September 9, 2021..6. Rahul Bharti (Advocate)Proposed for appointment as Jammu & Kashmir High Court Judge; First recommended on on March 2, 2021; Name reiterated on September 1, 2021. 7. Nagendra Ramachandra Naik (Advocate)Proposed for appointment as Karnataka High Court Judge; First recommended on October 3, 2019; Name first reiterated March 2, 2021; Name reiterated a second time on September 1, 2021. .8. Aditya Sondhi (Advocate)Proposed for appointment as Karnataka High Court Judge; First recommended on February 4, 2021; Name reiterated on September 1, 2021..9. J Umesh Chandra Sharma (Judicial Officer)Proposed for appointment as Allahabad High Court Judge; First recommended on February 4, 2021; Name reiterated on August 24, 2021..10. Syed Waiz Mian (Judicial Officer)Proposed for appointment as Allahabad High Court Judge; First recommended on February 4, 2021; Name reiterated on August 24, 2021..11. Sakya Sen (Advocate)Proposed for appointment as Calcutta High Court Judge; First recommended July 24, 2019; Name reiterated on October 8, 2021..The contempt petition contended that unreasonable delay in the matters of appointment after recommendations have been made by the Collegium are detrimental to the persons recommended..The plea stated that the aim is to ensure compliance by the government with the judgments in Subhash Sharma, the Second Judges case, the Third Judges case, and more particularly the PLR Projects case, by which it has categorically been stated that the upon the reiteration of the names, the appointment must be made within three to four weeks.