Supreme Court Collegium Recommends Justice Tashi Rabstan as Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court
JAMMU, Sept 17: The Supreme Court Collegium has revisited and revised its previous recommendation regarding the appointment of Chief Justice for the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The new resolution, issued by the Collegium consisting of Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, and Justice B.R. Gavai, recommends Justice Tashi Rabstan as the new Chief Justice for the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
Previously, on July 11, 2024, the Collegium had proposed Justice Suresh Kumar Kait, the senior Puisne Judge of the Delhi High Court, for the Chief Justice position of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, while suggesting Justice Tashi Rabstan for the Chief Justice role of the High Court of Meghalaya. However, after further deliberation and review of relevant considerations, the Collegium decided to amend its earlier resolution.
The Collegium’s revised recommendation highlights that Justice Tashi Rabstan is the senior-most Puisne Judge at the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, having been appointed as a Judge on March 8, 2013. He is scheduled to retire on April 9, 2025. According to the Memorandum of Procedure, since Justice Rabstan has less than a year remaining in his tenure, he is eligible to be appointed as Chief Justice of his current High Court.
Justice Rabstan hails from Ladakh, making him the first individual from the region to be appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court. His appointment is seen as a significant step towards enhancing representation and diversity within the judiciary. Additionally, as a Buddhist and a member of the Bot Scheduled Tribe, Justice Rabstan’s appointment is expected to contribute to the diversity of the Chief Justices of High Courts.
In light of the revised recommendation, the Collegium proposes that Justice Suresh Kumar Kait be appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh. This adjustment ensures that the judicial appointments are made in accordance with the latest evaluations and considerations by the Supreme Court Collegium.
