State PCS - Jharkhand (JPSC)

• 27 May 2025

Collegium Recommends Jharkhand HC Chief Justice

Why in News? 

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the elevation of Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, the senior-most judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, as the next Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court. 

Key Points 

• Constitutional Provisions Related to Appointment of Judges:  
  • Article 124(2): SC judges are appointed by the President after consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and other judges. 
  • Article 217: HC judges are appointed by the President after consultation with the CJI, the Governor of the concerned state, and the Chief Justice of the respective HC. 
• Collegium System: The Collegium System refers to the method of appointment and transfer of judges in the SC and HCs.   
  • It is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution but has evolved through various SC judgments. 
• Composition: 
  • Supreme Court Collegium: Includes the CJI and the four senior-most SC judges. 
  • High Court Collegium: Led by the Chief Justice of the HC and its two senior-most judges. 
• Evolution of the Collegium System: The system developed through four landmark Supreme Court cases, referred to as the Judges Cases: 
  • First Judges Case (1981) – S.P. Gupta v. Union of India 
    • The SC ruled that the term “consultation” does not mean “concurrence”. 
    • The ruling gave primacy to the executive in judicial appointments. 
  • Second Judges Case (1993) – Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association v. Union of India 
    • The Court overruled the First Judges Case and held that consultation means concurrence. 
    • Introduced the concept of a Collegium, requiring the CJI to consult two senior-most judges. 
  • Third Judges Case (1998) 
    • The SC expanded the collegium to five members—the CJI and four senior-most judges. 
  • National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) 
    • The 99th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2014 introduced the NJAC to replace the collegium system. 
    • However, the SC struck it down, citing judicial independence concerns. 
    • The verdict reaffirmed the collegium system as the only mechanism for judicial appointments.