The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended that Justice AS Oka of the Bombay High Court be appointed as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court.

In January this year, erstwhile Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Dinesh Maheshwari was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court. Since then, the Court has been functioning under the next senior-most judge, Acting Chief Justice Lingappa Narayana Swamy.

In view of the same, the Collegium has now recommended that Justice Oka be appointed as the Karnataka High Court’s next Chief Justice. A resolution passed to this effect on Monday states,

“Mr. Justice A.S.Oka is the senior-most Judge from Bombay High Court and is functioning in that High Court since his elevation. Having regard to all relevant factors, the Collegium finds Mr. Justice A.S.Oka suitable in all respects for being appointed as Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court. The Collegium resolves to recommend accordingly.“

Following his enrolment in 1983, Justice Oka started his practice in the Thane District Court. He has practiced in the chambers of his father, Shreeniwas W Oka, and thereafter under VP Tipnis, a former Judge of the Bombay High Court and former Lokayukta. He was elevated as an additional judge of the Bombay High Court in August 2003. He was made a permanent judge in November 2005. 

While recommending that Justice Oka be made the next Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, the Collegium has also noted that”consequent upon the proposed appointment, there will be two Chief Justices from Bombay High Court which is the second largest High Court in the country with sanctioned strength of 94 Judges.”

Read the Collegium Resolution dated April 8. 2019: