Shalinder Kaur, Ravinder Dudeja take oath as Additional Judges in Delhi High Court

New Delhi [India]: Two new Judges took oath at Delhi High Court on Friday. The Chief Justice of Delhi High Court administered the oath to Shalinder Kaur and Ravinder Dudeja as Additional Judges.

Earlier Ministry of Law and Justice on October 16, 2023, issued a notification in this regard stating that, in the exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 224 of the Constitution of India, “The President is pleased to appoint Shalinder Kaur, to be an Additional Judge of the Delhi High Court with effect from the date she assumes charge of her office till September 7, 2025 and Ravinder Dudeja, to be an Additional Judge of the Delhi High Court for a period of two years with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office.”

The Supreme Court Collegium has recently recommended the names of Shalinder Kaur and Ravinder Dudeja (Judicial Officers) for appointment as Judges of the High Court of Delhi.

On May 2023, the Chief Justice of the High Court of Delhi in consultation with his two senior-most colleagues recommended the elevation of these judicial officers as judges of that High Court, said the collegium.

The Judgment Evaluation Committee gave an ‘A’ rating in favour of Shalinder Kaur to the judgments of the officer. Both the consultee-judges have indicated that the officer possesses merit and ability.

The assessment made by the Government in the file does not indicate anything adverse to the integrity or the reputation of the officer. There is a need to ensure greater representation of women on the Bench to promote diversity and inclusion, stated the resolution of the Supreme Court collegium.

“The collegium is conscious of the fact that the officer has recently retired from the Delhi Higher Judicial Service on September 30, 2023. Despite this, having regard to the fact that the officer has a proven track record and possesses both merit and integrity, the Collegium is of the considered view that she is suitable for appointment as a judge of the High Court of Delhi,” Collegium added.

Ravinder Dudeja was also given an ‘A’ rating by the Judgment Evaluation Committee. Both the consultee-judges have indicated that the officer has merit and ability. The assessment made by the Government in the file does not contain any observation adverse to the integrity or reputation of the officer.

“Considering the long experience of the officer in judicial service, merit and integrity, the Collegium is of the considered view that the officer is suitable for appointment as a judge of the High Court of Delhi,” the collegium said.

While considering the above proposals, we have also taken note of the fact that the above proposal involves the non-recommendation of a senior judicial officer.

Cogent reasons have been recorded by the Collegium of the High Court for not recommending his name. We are, therefore, in agreement with the Collegium of the High Court for not recommending his name, added SC Collegium resolution.