Supreme Court Collegium recommends two judicial officers of Tripura as HC judges

Law department officials here on Thursday said three members of the Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud recommended the law secretary of Tripura, Biswajit Palit, and the director of the Tripura Judicial Academy, Sabyasachi Datta Purkayastha, as high court judges, which was proposed by the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Tripura in December last year in consultation with his two senior-most colleagues.

The SC Collegium has consulted "colleagues" who are conversant with the affairs of the High Court of Tripura to ascertain the suitability of these two names, officials stated, adding that in the SC communique mentioned, no input adverse to their reputation or integrity was placed.

The Collegium said it has also taken note of the report of the Judgment Assessment Committee and finds Palit and Purkayastha as suitable candidates for appointment as judges of the High Court.

"Views of the Chief Minister and the Governor for the State of Tripura on the recommendation have not been placed in the file," the SC statement mentioned.

The central government and Department of Justice forwarded the recommendation in terms of para 14 of the Memorandum of Procedure, which provides that if the comments of the state's constitutional authorities are not received within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of the proposal from the Chief Justice of the High Court, it should be presumed that the Governor and Chief Minister have nothing to add to the proposal and proceed accordingly.

"We have also taken note of the fact that the above proposal involves the non-recommendation of senior judicial officers. Cogent reasons have been recorded by the Collegium of the High Court for not recommending their names.

"We are, therefore, in agreement with the Collegium of the High Court for not recommending them," said the SC Collegium.