SC collegium recommends Justice D Krishnakumar as Manipur HC chief justice

The Supreme Court collegium on Monday recommended the appointment of Justice D Krishnakumar, a judge of the Madras high court, as the next chief justice of the Manipur high court. Justice Krishnakumar is slated to assume the position following the retirement of the incumbent chief justice, Siddharth Mridul, on November 21, 2024.

A resolution issued on November 18 highlighted that the recommendation aligns with the memorandum of procedure (MoP) governing the appointment of chief justices, which emphasises seniority, merit, and integrity. The collegium comprised Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, and justices Bhushan R Gavai and Surya Kant.

The proposal has been sent to the Union government for approval and subsequent notification. To be sure, Justice Mridul’s appointment as the chief justice of the Manipur high court was cleared in October 2023 after a delay of more than three months following the collegium’s recommendation.

The resolution notes Justice Krishnakumar, who is the senior-most puisne judge of the Madras high court, has extensive expertise in civil, constitutional, and service law, along with a specialisation in constitutional matters.

Appointed to the Madras high court in April 2016, Justice Krishnakumar belongs to a backward community, noted the resolution, adding his appointment will ensure fair representation from the Madras high court, which currently has only one chief justice among the 25 high courts in the country. His tenure as the chief justice will be brief, as he is set to retire in May 2025.

Justice Krishnakumar is expected to take over as the chief justice of the Manipur high court at a time when the northeastern state is grappling with a deepening crisis. Manipur remains engulfed in violence that erupted in May 2023 and has shown no signs of abating, with the state witnessing fresh unrest in recent days.

As rioting, arson, and targeted attacks persist despite curfews, the law-and-order situation continues to worsen. The escalating tensions prompted Union home minister Amit Shah to chair an urgent meeting on Monday, following his abrupt return to Delhi from Maharashtra. Chief minister N Biren Singh faces brewing dissent within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The withdrawal of support from the BJP-led government by the National People’s Party (NPP) on Sunday, though not an immediate threat to the government’s stability, has added to the political turbulence. Meanwhile, reports of brutal killings and fresh demonstrations have further underscored the fragile state of affairs.

Justice Krishnakumar’s tenure will commence against this backdrop of turmoil, placing the judiciary in a critical position to address legal and constitutional challenges arising from the continuing crisis.