SC collegium recommends transfer of 7 HC judges, cites need to infuse diversity
The decision to make the recommendations was taken by the collegium headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna at its meetings on April 15 and April 19
The Supreme Court’s collegium has recommended the transfer of seven high court judges including four from Karnataka, citing the need “to infuse inclusivity and diversity” at the level of high courts.
The decision was taken by the collegium headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna at its meetings on April 15 and April 19, according to a resolution by the collegium dated April 19. The statement was uploaded to the top court’s website on Monday..
Apart from the CJI, the two collegium comprises the two senior most judges - justices Bhushan R Gavai and Surya Kant.
The four Karnataka high court judges recommended to be transferred are justices Krishna S Dixit, Hemant Chandangoudar, Sanjay Gowda, and K Natarajan. The list also recommends the transfer of justice Perugu Sree Sudha and K Surendhar of Telangana high court and justice Kumbhajadala Manmadha Rao of Andhra Pradesh high court.
The collegium’s statement on the transfers said, “With a view to infuse inclusivity and diversity at the level of high courts and to strengthen the quality of administration of justice, the Supreme Court Collegium in its meetings held on April 15 and April 19, 2025 has recommended transfer of the following judges of high courts.”
Justice Dixit has been recommended to be transferred to the Orissa High Court, justice Chandangoudar to the Madras high court, and justices Natarajan and Gowda to the high courts of Kerala and Gujarat, respectively.
Justice Sree Sudha of the Telangana high court has been recommended to shift to the Karnataka high court and justice Surendhar to the Madras high court. Justice Rao of the Andhra Pradesh high court has been recommended to be moved to Karnataka high court.
Amid buzz that the collegium was considering transfer of judges of the Karnataka high court, the president of the Advocates Association of the high court’s Dharwad bench and the Advocates Association, Bengaluru last week wrote to CJI Khanna to allow the high court’s judges to continue. On Saturday, about 200 junior lawyers at the high court asked the CJI to reconsider the transfer, underlining that the judges slated to be transferred were of high integrity.
Justice Dixit addressed the issue of his transfer during a hearing on April 17, commenting that the advocates might get another judge for their matters soon. When the advocates present in his court room said that they did not want him to go anywhere, justice Dixit underlined that judges were duty bound to adhere to their transfer orders.
“When a soldier is posted anywhere, it is his duty to go there. He should go there happily and work. If we go there, there will be specialties for us. If a High Court bench is set up in the Himalayas, I will go there too,” justice Dixit said at the time .
