Centre notifies appointment of five judges in Madras High Court

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday issued a notification appointing five judges in the Madras High Court within two weeks after recommendations were made by the CJI D.Y. Chandrachud-led Supreme Court collegium on August 31.

The President appointed Justices A.A. Nakkiran, Nidumolu Mala, S. Sounthar, Sunder Mohan, and Kabali Kumaresh Babu as permanent Judges of the Madras High Court from the date they would assume charge of their respective offices.

"In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint S/Shri Justices (i) A. A. Nakkiran (ii) Ms. Nidumolu Mala, (iii) S. Sounthar, (iv) Sunder Mohan and (v) Kabali Kumaresh Babu, Additional Judges of the Madras High Court, to be Judges of that High Court, with effect from the date they assume charge of their respective offices," said the notification issued by Union Ministry of Law and Justice on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended appointment of five Additional Judges as Permanent Judges of the Madras High Court after the Collegium of the High Court unanimously recommended these five names on June 20.

The top court’s Collegium said that it had consulted other Judges of the Supreme Court who are conversant with the affairs of the Madras High Court in terms of the Memorandum of Procedure.

"The Committee of two judges of the Supreme Court constituted by the Chief Justice of India in terms of the Resolution dated 26 October 2017 of the Supreme Court Collegium has assessed the judgments of the above- named Additional Judges," noted the SC Collegium.

It said that it had scrutinised the material placed on record to assess the merit and suitability of these Additional Judges for appointment as permanent judges. Having considered all aspects of the matter and on an overall consideration, the Collegium had resolved to recommend that these five additional judges are fit and suitable for being appointed as permanent judges of the Madras HC against the existing vacancies.