Source: IE
Context: The Supreme Court has ruled that the elevation of judges must be decided collectively by the High Court Collegium, not by an individual Chief Justice.
- SC also clarified that although the ‘content of consultation’ is beyond Judicial review ‘effective consultation’ falls within its ambit.
Background of the case:
The Court directed the Himachal Pradesh High Court Collegium to reconsider District Judges Chirag Bhanu Singh and Arvind Malhotra for promotion. It emphasized that the process must involve collective deliberation and cannot be decided solely by the High Court Chief Justice.
About Collegium:
The Collegium system recommends appointments for Supreme Court (SC) and High Court (HC) judges.
- Supreme Court: The Collegium includes the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and four senior-most SC judges.
- High Court: The HC Collegium consists of the HC Chief Justice and two senior HC judges.
Appointments are made by the President under Articles 124 and 217 of the Constitution.
