NEW DELHI: The central government, through the Ministry of Law and Justice, on Wednesday notified the appointment of Justice Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale as a judge of the Supreme Court of India. Justice Varale is currently serving as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court.
The notification issued in this regards stated, “…in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Justice Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale, Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, to be a judge of the Supreme Court of India, with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office”.
Recently, the Supreme Court collegium, recommending his name, said the collegium has taken into consideration the fact that among the high court judges, he is the senior-most judge belonging to a Scheduled Caste and the only chief justice belonging to a Scheduled Caste among the chief justices of high courts across the country. “We are also conscious of the fact that at present, there are three judges from the High Court of Bombay on the bench of the Supreme Court”, it said.
It also said the collegium is conscious of the fact that in the seniority of judges of the High Court of Karnataka, he is second senior-most judge after Justice Narendar G who is functioning on transfer in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh and has a long tenure ahead of him.
“The office of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka will be falling vacant consequent to the elevation of Justice Prasanna B Varale to the Supreme Court in terms of our separate recommendation made today. Therefore, appointment to that office is required to be made”, said the collegium.
The collegium, therefore, resolved to recommend that Justice P S Dinesh Kumar be appointed as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka consequent to the elevation of Justice Prasanna B Varale to the Supreme Court. (ANI)