In a major reshuffle aimed at streamlining judicial functioning across the country, the Supreme Court Collegium has ordered the transfer of 14 judges across various High Courts. The transfers are part of the routine exercise undertaken to ensure equitable distribution of judicial strength, avoid long tenures in a single High Court, and meet the requirements of different states.
Key Transfers at a Glance
- Justice Atul Sreedharan has been moved from the Madhya Pradesh High Court to the Chhattisgarh High Court.
- Justice Sanjay Agrawal, currently serving at the Chhattisgarh High Court, will now join the Allahabad High Court.
- Justice J. Nisha Banu of the Madras High Court has been transferred to the Kerala High Court.
- Justice Dinesh Mehta from the Rajasthan High Court will now serve in the Delhi High Court.
- Justice Avneesh Jhingan (originally from Punjab & Haryana) serving in Rajasthan has been transferred to the Delhi High Court.
- Justice Arun Monga (originally from Punjab & Haryana) posted at the Delhi High Court will now move to the Kerala High Court.
- Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh of the Allahabad High Court has been shifted to the Madras High Court.
- Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal, also from Allahabad, will now serve at the Calcutta High Court.
- Justice Manavendranath Roy (originally from Andhra Pradesh, currently serving in Gujarat) will return to his parent cadre, joining the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
- Justice Donadi Ramesh from Allahabad has been transferred to the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
- Justice Sandeep Natvarlal Bhatt of the Gujarat High Court will now serve at the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
- Justice Chandrasekharan Sudha of the Kerala High Court will move to the Delhi High Court.
- Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju, currently at the Delhi High Court, has been transferred to the Patna High Court.
- Justice Subhendu Samanta of the Calcutta High Court has been moved to the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
Significance of the Transfers
Judicial transfers are a sensitive exercise, often guided by the recommendations of the Supreme Court Collegium, which takes into account factors such as regional balance, work requirements, and avoidance of local influence. The latest reshuffle reflects an effort to strengthen High Courts with additional judges in states facing higher caseloads.
Legal experts note that the transfers of judges from larger High Courts like Allahabad, Delhi, and Madras to other states indicate a strategy to balance the workload and ensure judicial efficiency.
The Way Forward
The transferred judges are expected to assume charge of their new positions in the coming weeks, subject to official notifications by the respective state governments and High Courts. With these transfers, the judiciary aims to improve access to justice and expedite pending cases in several states.
