Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari appointed Acting Chief Justice of Uttarakhand HC

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday issued a notification appointing Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari as Acting Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court after the retirement of incumbent Justice Ritu Bahri on October 10.

"In exercise of the power conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari, Judge of the Uttarakhand High Court, to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice of that High Court with effect from 11.10.2024 consequent upon the retirement of Ms Justice Ritu Bahri, Chief Justice, Uttarakhand High Court on 10.10.2024," said a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.

Article 223 empowers the President to appoint any puisne judge as acting Chief Justice when "the office of Chief Justice of a High Court is vacant or when any such Chief Justice is, by reason of absence or otherwise, unable to perform the duties of his office".

On September 24, the Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, recommended the appointment of Justice Narendar G. as the Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court.

In a statement released on the website of the apex court, the Collegium had said that it proposes to appoint Justice Narendar G. with effect from the date on which the incumbent Chief Justice demits office on retirement.

Justice Narendar G was appointed as a Judge of the High Court of Karnataka in January 2015. "He was transferred to the High Court of Andhra Pradesh on 30 October 2023 and has been functioning there since then. He is the senior-most Judge in his parent High Court and belongs to the Other Backward Class,” noted the SC Collegium, adding that he practised before the Karnataka High Court before elevation.

The Collegium said that Justice Narendar G is an experienced judge with considerable experience on the judicial and administrative sides of the High Courts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. "The Collegium is of the considered view that Mr Justice Narendar G is fit and suitable in all respects for being appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court of Uttarakhand," it said, adding that at present, the Karnataka High Court has no representation among the Chief Justices of the High Courts.