Supreme Court Collegium recommends appointment of Justice Ritu Bahri as Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice

The Supreme Court Collegium on Thursday recommended the name of Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Ritu Bahri for appointment as the Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court.The Collegium comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Sanjiv Khanna in a resolution said that Justice Bahri, who is currently the acting Chief Justice at Punjab and Haryana High Court, is a "competent judge endowed with high level of integrity, conduct and character."If her appointment as the Chief Justice is cleared by the Central government, she would be second woman Chief Justice of a High Court in the country. Justice Sunita Agarwal, posted at Gujarat High Court, is the only woman Chief Justice at present.While recommending Justice Bahri's elevation, the Collegium also took note of the above fact and said her elevation would enhance representation of women among the Chief Justices of the High Courts..Justice Bahri, who was appointed as a judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2010, is the senior-most puisne Judge of the High Court. Upon retirement of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha on October 13, she was appointed as the acting Chief Justice there. As per the Collegium resolution, Justice Bahri has authored 843 reported judgments since her appointment. 247 of them were delivered during last five years."She has acquired extensive experience in dispensing justice in one of the largest High Courts in the country," the Collegium said about her.Justice Bahri completed her law degree from Panjab University in 1985. She enrolled as an advocate in 1986 and practiced in the High Court till her elevation as a judge.While recommending Justice Bahri for elevation, the Collegium noted that the Punjab and Haryana High Court has jurisdiction over two large States but at present there is only one Chief Justice to represent it from among the Chief Justices of the High Courts..Accordingly, the Collegium said Justice Bahri is fit and suitable in all respects for being appointed as the Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court.The position of Chief Justice at Uttarakhand High Court recently fell vacant upon retirement of Justice Vipin Sanghi. Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari is currently the acting Chief Justice there.[Read Notification]

Supreme Court Collegium recommends appointment of Justice Ritu Bahri as Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice

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