Centre notifies appointment of an Additional Judge at Bombay HC

New Delhi, Aug 10

The President has appointed advocate Manjusha Ajay Deshpande as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court, Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal announced on Thursday

"In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 224 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Smt. Manjusha Ajay Deshpande, Advocate, to be an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court for a period of two years with effect from the date she assumes charge of her office," a notification issued by the Ministry of Law & Justice said.

The name was cleared by the Centre within a period of one month after the Supreme Court Collegium headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud on July 18 recommended the her appointment as judge of the Bombay High Court, brushing aside government objections.

"The Collegium of the High Court presided over by the then Chief Justice of the High Court made the recommendation for the elevation of Smt Manjusha Ajay Deshpande on 26 September 2022. The Chief Ministers and the Governors of the States of Maharashtra and Goa have concurred in the recommendation," said the statement issued by the SC Collegium.

On May 2, the SC Collegium deferred its decision after issues were flagged by the government on the recommendation. It had then decided to seek a report of the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay. "The Collegium of the High Court is well-positioned to ascertain her professional competence. Their assessment is affirmed by the consultee judges of the Supreme Court who have served in that High Court and are conversant with the performance of the Bar. In our assessment, the candidate is a competent lawyer,” said SC Collegium while rejecting the government objections.

Deshpande has been in practice for over thirty two years. She is well versed in constitutional and service matters. She has been on the panel of the government since 2013. "The elevation of the candidate would add to the representation of women on the Bench of the High Court of Bombay particularly amongst women lawyers practicing before the Bench at Aurangabad," the SC Collegium added while recommending her name.