SC Collegium recommends elevation of five judicial officers as judges of Kerala HC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, has recommended the appointment of five judicial officers as judges of the Kerala High Court.

The recommendation for appointment of judicial officers M.B. Snehalatha, Johnson John, G. Girish, C. Pratheepkumar and P. Krishna Kumar as HC judges was made on March 20 this year by the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court in consultation with his two senior-most colleagues.

"The Chief Minister and the Governor of the State of Kerala have concurred with the recommendation," read the statement uploaded on the website of the apex court on Wednesday.

The SC Collegium said that it has consulted colleagues who are conversant with the affairs of the Kerala High Court to ascertain suitability of these five names.

It also recommended appointment of judicial officer Snehalatha – who faced criticism for two orders granting bail – saying that nothing adverse came to notice against her integrity and she is an OBC candidate who would have a short tenure as a judge of the High Court.

"We have taken note of the fact that the above proposal involves non-recommendation of some senior judicial officers. Cogent reasons have been recorded by the Collegium of the High Court for not recommending their names. We are, therefore, in agreement with the Collegium of the High Court for not recommending their names," said SC Collegium.

“The Collegium resolves to recommend that S/Shri (i) Smt M.B. Snehalatha, (ii) Johnson John, (iii) G. Girish, (iv) C. Pratheepkumar, and (v) P. Krishna Kumar, Judicial Officers, be appointed as Judges of the High Court of Kerala. Their inter se seniority be fixed as per the existing practice,” said the statement issued by Collegium.