Committee of two Supreme Court judges to evaluate judgments of Additional judges of High Courts

The Supreme Court Collegium has resolved that a committee of two Supreme Court judges (other than consultee judges nominated by the Chief Justice of India) shall evaluate the judgments of the Additional judges of High Courts for purpose of determining their suitability for appointment as Permanent Judges.

The decision was taken by the Collegium yesterday in modification of its decision of March 3, 2017. On March 3, the Collegium had unanimously resolved to withdraw the last sentence of guideline No.2 issued by the then Chief Justice of India on 30th October, 2010, regarding constitution of Judgment Committee by Chief Justices of High Courts for assessment / evaluation of judgments of Additional Judges of High Courts.

This decision to withdraw the last sentence of guideline 2 was communicated to the Union Law Minister on April 16, 2017.

The Collegium has now decided to modify its March 3 decision. The resolution passed yesterday states,

“Regard being had to the necessity of assessment of judgments and also bearing in mind the principle that peers should not be judged by peers, the Collegium in partial modification of its earlier decision taken on 3rd March, 2017 has decided that the judgments of Additional Judges of the High Courts shall be called for from the Chief Justices of the concerned High Courts and the same shall be evaluated by the Committee of two Hon’ble Judges of the Supreme Court, other than consultee-Judges, to be nominated by the Chief Justice of India.”

Read the resolution below.

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