SC Collegium recommends elevation of three advocates as judges in Andhra Pradesh HC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, on Tuesday recommended the elevation of three advocates as judges in the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

In May this year, the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, in consultation with his two senior-most colleagues, forwarded the recommendation for the elevation of advocates Maheswara Rao Kuncheam @ Kuncham, Thoota Chandra Dhana Sekar @ T.C.D. Sekhar, and Challa Gunaranjan to the Bench.

The SC Collegium said that it consulted other apex court judges conversant with the affairs of the Andhra Pradesh High Court to ascertain the fitness and suitability of these candidates, adding that one of the consultee-judges has not given his views on the suitability or otherwise regarding the candidates.

It said that advocate Maheswara Rao Kuncheam, who appeared/argued in 136 reported judgments, has a good practice at the Bar.

"All the four consultee-Judges have given a positive opinion on the suitability of the candidate for appointment as a Judge of the High Court," noted the SC Collegium.

Advocate Sekhar has a practice of more than 25 years in civil, criminal, constitutional, and taxation cases with specialisation in taxation, revenue laws, land acquisition and civil law, said the apex court Collegium, adding that the inputs provided in the file indicate his professional competence to be good and nothing adverse has come to notice with regard to his integrity.

In relation to advocate Gunaranjan, the SC Collegium said that he has an extensive practice which is reflected in his professional income of Rs. 71.74 lakh per annum and 129 reported judgments delivered in the cases in which he argued.

Further, it said: "All the four consultee-Judges have given a positive opinion on the suitability of the candidate for appointment as a Judge of the High Court. The inputs provided in the file also indicate that his professional competence is viewed to be good and that nothing adverse has come to notice with regard to his integrity."

It resolved to recommend that advocates Kuncheam, Sekhar, and Gunaranjan be appointed as Andhra Pradesh High Court judges and their inter se seniority be fixed as per the existing practice. Further, it noted that since the views of the Chief Minister and the Governor of Andhra Pradesh have not been received, the Department of Justice has forwarded the above recommendation by invoking para 14 of the Memorandum of Procedure which provides that if the comments of the state constitutional authorities are not received within the prescribed time-frame, it should be presumed by the Minister of Law and Justice that the Governor and the Chief Minister have nothing to add to the proposal and proceed accordingly.