Collegium Recommends Karnataka HC Chief Justice Varale for Supreme Court Elevation

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Collegium on Friday recommended for elevation of Karnataka High Court's Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale as a judge of the top court.

Justice Varale, originally from the Bombay High Court is senior-most Judge belonging to a Scheduled Caste and the only Chief Justice belonging to a Scheduled Caste among the Chief Justices of High Courts across the country.

He stood at serial number six in the combined all India seniority of High Court Judges. In the seniority of Judges of the High Court of Bombay, he is the senior-most Judge.

In another decision, the Collegium recommended for appointment of Justice P S Dinesh Kumar, judge of Karnataka High Court as its Chief Justice upon the vacancy created on elevation of Justice Varale to the Supreme Court. Justice Kumar is to superannuate in February 24, 2024.

In the Supreme Court, a vacancy arose after retirement of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul on December 25, 2023.

The Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and also comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, Surya Kant and Aniruddha Bose, said it decided to fill up the sole existing vacancy by recommending a name.

Since the workload of judges has increased considerably, it has become necessary to ensure that the Court has full working judge-strength at all times.

"The Supreme Court of India has operated almost throughout last year with full strength of thirty-four Judges and, therefore, could achieve the distinction of recording an unprecedented rate of disposal by disposing of 52191 cases in the calendar year 2023," it said.

After carefully evaluating the merit, integrity and competence of eligible Chief Justices and senior puisne judges of the High Courts and also accommodating a plurality of considerations, the Collegium found Justice Varale to be a deserving and suitable candidate in all respects, a statement said.

Justice Varale was appointed as a Judge of the High Court of Bombay on July 18, 2008. He was elevated as Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka on October 15, 2022.

Before his elevation as a judge of the High Court, he practised at the Bar for over 23 years in civil, criminal, labour and administrative law matters in District and Sessions Court and in Constitutional matters at the High Court Bench at Aurangabad.