On Thursday, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law & Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, announced the appointment of Advocate Somasekhar Sundaresan as an additional judge of the Bombay High Court. This move comes after the Supreme Court Collegium reiterated its recommendation for Sundaresan’s elevation in January of this year.
In a statement issued after its meeting on January 18, the Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, emphasized that expressing views on various matters does not disqualify a candidate from holding a constitutional office, as long as the individual is competent, meritorious, and possesses integrity.
Sundaresan’s recommendation for elevation originated from the Bombay High Court Collegium in October 2021. The Supreme Court Collegium also endorsed his name in February 2022. However, on November 25, 2022, the Central government opposed his elevation, citing his expression of views on social media regarding matters under consideration by the courts.
In response to the government’s objection, the Collegium stated that Sundaresan’s social media views do not establish any bias on his part. Emphasizing Sundaresan’s specialization in commercial law, the Collegium highlighted his potential contribution to the Bombay High Court, which faces a significant caseload involving commercial and securities laws. Furthermore, the Collegium referenced the Department of Justice’s reliance on the Second Judges case criteria, asserting that the selected candidate must possess high integrity, honesty, skill, emotional stability, firmness, serenity, legal soundness, ability, and endurance.
