Elevation Of Justice Kureshi : Collegium To Consider Centre's Reply Today, Tells SC

The Supreme Court on Thursday said that the Collegium was meeting today at 1.45 PM to discuss the proposal to elevate Justice Akil Kureshi.

The hearing of the petition filed by Gujarat High Court Advocates Association was therefore adjourned.

On August 28, the CJI-led bench had said that the SC had received a communication from the Union Law Ministry regarding Justice Kureshi.

Justice Kureshi's elevation has become a subject of controversy after the Gujarat High Court Advocates Association filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court, alleging Central Government of selectively blocking his elevation due to "extraneous considerations."

Senior Advocates  Arvind P Datar, Yatin Oza, Mihir Thakore and Percy Kavina were present in the Court for the Association in the earlier rounds of hearings.  Senior Advocate Fali S Nariman had made the submissions for GHCAA. 

The GHCAA has urged the SC to direct the Centre to notify the recommendation of Justice Kureshi. They pointed out that another proposal made by the Collegium on the same day (May 10) - that of Justice D N Patel's appointment as Delhi High Court Chief Justice - was notified by the Centre within two weeks but Justice Kureshi's file has been kept pending. Meanwhile, Centre notified the appointment of Justice Ravi Shanker Jha as the Acting CJ of MP HC on June 7.

On June 25, the Association had passed a resolution approving the decision to approach SC through writ petition to challenge what it believed to be "purposeful holding back " of approval of Justice Kureshi's appointment. The resolution came after Senior Advocate Yatin Oza, the President of the Association, informed the association members that the Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was not willing to meet a delegation of Gujarat lawyers to discuss the subject.

Justice Kureshi, a senior judge of the Gujarat High Court, was transferred to Bombay High Court last October, amidst protests from the GHCAA.