Dehra Dun, Dec 26, 2024, IANS

Dehra Dun, Dec 26 (IANS) Justice Guhanathan Narendar was on Thursday sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court. Governor, Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (retd) administered the oath of office to Justice Narendar G at a ceremony held at Raj Bhawan, attended by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, puisne judges of the Uttarakhand High Court and other dignitaries. On Monday, the Centre cleared the appointment of Chief Justices of the High Courts of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. In a post on X, Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal announced that President Droupadi Murmu had appointed Justice Narendar G as the Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court and Justice G.S. Sandhawalia as the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court. "In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Guhanathan Narendar, Judge, Andhra Pradesh High Court, to be Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court, with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office," said a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice. In September this year, the Supreme Court Collegium, led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI), recommended the appointment of Justice Narendar G. as the Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court consequent upon the retirement of Justice Ritu Bahri on October 10. Justice Narendar G. was appointed as a Judge of the High Court of Karnataka in January 2015. "He was transferred to the High Court of Andhra Pradesh on 30 October 2023 and has been functioning there since then. He is the senior-most Judge in his parent High Court and belongs to the Other Backward Class," noted the SC Collegium, adding that he practised before the Karnataka High Court before elevation. The Collegium said that Narendar G. is an experienced judge with considerable experience on the judicial and administrative sides of the High Courts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. "The Collegium is of the considered view that Mr Justice Narendar G is fit and suitable in all respects for being appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court of Uttarakhand," it said, adding that at present, the Karnataka High Court has no representation among the Chief Justices of the High Courts. The Memorandum of Procedure relating to the appointment of Chief Justice of a High Court provides that "a fair representation shall be given to various High Courts for selection of Chief Justices. For purposes of such selection, inter-se seniority of puisne Judges will be reckoned on the basis of their seniority in their own High Court. The consideration for appointment of Chief Justices shall be based on the criterion of seniority subject to merit and integrity".