SC collegium recommends elevation of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan from Assam as Supreme Court judge

The Supreme Court collegium, headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud on July 5 has recommended the appointment of two distinguished judges as justices of the apex court. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, currently serving as the Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court, and Justice S. Venkatanarayana Bhatti, the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, have been proposed for elevation to the Supreme Court bench.

The decision came during a meeting of the Supreme Court collegium, a panel comprising Chief Justice Chandrachud and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, B.R. Gavai, and Surya Kant. In an official resolution uploaded on the Supreme Court's website on July 5, the collegium announced its unanimous recommendation to appoint Justices Bhuyan and Bhatti as judges in the highest judicial institution of the country.

Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, known for his specialization in the law of taxation, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. Having previously served as a judge of the Bombay High Court, he has presided over a wide spectrum of cases, particularly those related to taxation matters. The collegium acknowledged Justice Bhuyan's outstanding domain knowledge and his reputation for integrity and competence.

"The judgments authored by him cover wide-ranging issues pertaining to law and justice. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan is a judge with a good reputation for integrity and competence," stated the collegium in its resolution.

Currently serving as the Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court since June 28, 2022, Justice Bhuyan had been appointed as a judge of the Gauhati High Court on October 17, 2011. His considerable experience and deep understanding of taxation law make him a valuable candidate for elevation to the Supreme Court bench.

Similarly, Justice S. Venkatanarayana Bhatti, the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, has earned recognition for his expertise in various branches of law. With a distinguished career spanning his tenure as a judge of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh and subsequently as the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, Justice Bhatti has demonstrated exceptional legal acumen and competence through his judgments on a wide array of legal issues.

"The judgments authored by him dealing with issues in various branches of law stand testimony to his legal acumen and competence. Apart from according representation to the State of Andhra Pradesh, the appointment of Mr. Justice Bhatti will provide a value addition in terms of his acquired knowledge and experience. He commands a good reputation and possesses integrity and competence," affirmed the Supreme Court collegium in its resolution.

Justice Bhatti was appointed as a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on April 12, 2013, and subsequently assumed the role of Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court on June 1, 2023. His considerable experience and expertise make him an invaluable addition to the Supreme Court, and his appointment would help address the absence of representation from the Andhra Pradesh High Court on the bench since August 2022.