The Central Government has formally announced the appointment of nine advocates, including three women, to the esteemed positions of judges at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. This significant development follows the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation issued on May 4, 2023.
The newly appointed judges include Monica Chhibber Sharma, Harmeet Singh Deol, Pravindra Singh Chauhan, Rajesh Gaur, Puja Chopra, Sunish Bindlish, Minderjeet Yadav, Divya Sharma, and Ravinder Malik. These appointments signify a critical step in addressing the judicial vacancies in the court.
It is noteworthy that the Collegium had initially proposed ten candidates for these positions, but the government has deferred the appointment of military law expert, Senior Advocate Navdeep Singh. The reasons for this exclusion have not been disclosed.
Among the new appointees, Senior Advocate Pravindra Singh Chauhan stands out, currently serving as the Advocate General of Haryana. His transition to a judicial role was recently upheld by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which dismissed a challenge to the Collegium’s recommendation regarding his appointment.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court currently operates with 55 judges against an approved strength of 85, highlighting a significant vacancy of 30 positions. These new appointments are expected to enhance the court’s capacity to manage its caseload more effectively.
