Collegium proposes swap between Chief Justices of Madras and Meghalaya High Courts

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended that the Chief Justices of the Madras and Meghalaya High Courts swap places. It has been recommended that Chief Justice VK Tahilramani of the Madras High Court be transferred to the Meghalaya High Court. In her place, the Collegium has recommended that incumbent Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court, Justice AK Mittal, be appointed as the next Madras High Court Chief Justice.

An resolution dated August 28 had recommended the transfer of Chief Justice Justice Tahilramani to the Meghalaya High Court as its Chief Justice “in the interest of better administration of justice.”  Another resolution issued the same day recommended the transfer of Chief Justice AK Mittal from Meghalaya to Madras on identical grounds.

Both resolutions stated that the transfer of the Chief Justices is being made in view of the fact that the “Office of the Chief Justice” of the concerned High Court “would be falling vacant shortly consequent upon transfer” of the other Chief Justice in terms of a separate resolution passed the same day.

A third resolution passed yesterday intimates that Chief Justice Tahilramani had requested that the Collegium reconsider the proposal to transfer her to Meghalaya. However, the Collegium has declined to accede to the request, stating,

“The Collegium has carefully gone through the aforesaid representation and taken into consideration all relevant factors. On reconsideration, the Collegium is of the considered view that it is not possible to accede to her request. The Collegium, accordingly, reiterates its recommendation dated 28th August, 2019 for transfer of Mrs. Justice V.K. Tahilramani to Meghalaya High Court.”

After enrolment with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa, Justice Tahilramani joined the Chamber of her father late LV Kapse, renowned advocate. Thereafter, she started independent practice in the High Court of Bombay and also City Civil and Sessions Court, Mumbai. In 1990, she was appointed as Assistant Government Pleader & Additional Public Prosecutor in High Court at Bombay. In 1997, she was appointed Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor, Bombay High Court. She was elevated as Judge of the Bombay High Court in 2001. Thereafter, she was appointed Acting Chief Justice of Bombay High Court. In August 2018, she was transferred to Madras High Court as Chief Justice.

Justice AK Mittal obtained his law degree from Delhi University in 1980. After enrolling as an advocate that same year, he practiced in the areas of Constitutional law, service law, company law and tax law. He was elevated as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in January 2004. Between May and June 2018, he also served as the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court. In May this year, he was appointed the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court. 

[Read the Resolutions]