NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court collegium, on February 25, recommended the appointment of five advocates as judges to the Calcutta High Court, increasing the number of judges to 43 against a sanctioned strength of 72. The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, in a meeting in February, approved and decided to recommend these five lawyers’ names as judges in the Calcutta HC. The names approved by the SC Collegium for judges were Smita Das De, Reetobroto Kumar Mitra, Md Talay Masood Siddiqui, Krishnaraj Thaker, and Om Narayan Rai. After the Supreme Court collegium’s recommendation, the Centre will now review the proposed names for appointment as judges in the Calcutta High Court and convey its decision to the collegium. There is no set timeframe for the Centre to decide on these names. The SC Collegium is a statutory and independent body responsible for recommending the appointment, elevation, and transfer of judges to High Courts and the top court. The Collegium of the Supreme Court consists of the five senior-most judges, including the CJI. In case of a difference of opinion within the Collegium, the majority view will prevail. Since the Constitution mandates that consultation with the CJI is necessary for judicial appointments, the collegium model evolved.
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