The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, has recommended the appointment of four advocates as judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The recommendation for appointment of advocates Harinath Nunepally, Kiranmayee Mandava @ Kiranmayee Kanaparthy, Sumathi Jagadam and Nyapathy Vijay as judges was made on February 22 this year by the Chief Justice of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh in consultation with his two senior-most colleagues
"The Chief Minister and the Governor of the State of Andhra Pradesh have concurred with the recommendation. For the purpose of assessing the merit and suitability of the above named candidates for elevation to the High Court, we have scrutinised and evaluated the material placed on record including the observations made by the Department of Justice in the file as well as the complaint(s) received against the candidates,” the Supreme Court Collegium said.
In relation to advocates Nunepally and Kanaparthy, the consultee-judges have unanimously opined that the two candidates are fit and suitable for appointment and the assessment made by the Union government does not indicate anything adverse to the integrity of these candidates.
Further, the Collegium brushed aside certain adverse inputs placed on the file of advocate Jagadam by the Union government saying that she is a woman belonging to Scheduled Caste category and is a suitable candidate for appointment as a judge of the High Court.
SC judge Justice JK Maheshwari – one of the consultee-judges – did not give any view on suitability of advocate Vijay while four of the consultee-judges unanimously opined that the candidate is fit and suitable for appointment as a judge of the High Court.
"In view of the above, the Collegium resolves to recommend that S/Shri (1) Shri Harinath Nunepally, (2) Smt. Kiranmayee Mandava @ Kiranmayee Kanaparthy, (3) Smt. Sumathi Jagadam, and (4) Shri Nyapathy Vijay, Advocates, be appointed as judges of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. Their inter se seniority be fixed as per the existing practice," read the statement uploaded on the website of the apex court on Wednesday, October 11.