Justices Renu Bhatnagar and Rajneesh Kumar Gupta were sworn in as judges of the Delhi High Court. With their appointment, the court’s working strength has increased to 41, while the sanctioned strength stands at 60. This addition is expected to enhance judicial efficiency. However, a considerable number of positions remain vacant.
Judicial officers Renu Bhatnagar and Rajneesh Kumar Gupta were sworn in as judges of the Delhi High Court on Friday. Their elevation was recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium during a meeting on February 5, and the Central government approved the recommendation on February 19.
With these appointments, the working strength of the Delhi High Court has increased to 41, compared to its sanctioned strength of 60.
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Article 217 of the Indian Constitution deals with the appointment and conditions of service of High Court judges. Below is a detailed breakdown of its provisions:
Article 217 – Appointment and Conditions of the Judges of High Courts
- Appointment of High Court Judges
- The President of India appoints High Court judges.
- The President consults the Chief Justice of India (CJI), the Governor of the concerned state, and, in case of a common High Court for multiple states, the Chief Justice of that High Court before making the appointment.
- Qualifications for Appointment
A person is eligible to be appointed as a High Court judge if:- They are a citizen of India.
- They have held a judicial office in India for at least 10 years OR have been an advocate in a High Court (or two or more High Courts in succession) for at least 10 years.
- Tenure and Age Limit
- A High Court judge holds office until the age of 62 years.
- Removal of High Court Judges
- A judge can only be removed by the President through a process of impeachment in Parliament, based on proved misbehavior or incapacity.
- The impeachment process follows the same procedure as for Supreme Court judges, requiring a special majority in both Houses of Parliament.
- Resignation
- A High Court judge may resign by writing to the President of India.
- Other Provisions
- A judge cannot hold any other office of profit under the government of India or any state after retirement, except in cases where they are appointed as ad hoc judges in the Supreme Court or for commissions.
This article ensures the independence of the judiciary and maintains the integrity of High Court appointments.
Justice Renu Bhatnagar completed her graduation from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, in 1986. She then pursued her LL.B. from Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi, in 1989 and later obtained an LL.M. degree from Kurukshetra University in 2005.
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She joined the Delhi Judicial Service in 1992 and was promoted to the Delhi Higher Judicial Service in August 2003. Over her career of more than 30 years, she has handled cases related to Civil, Criminal, Labour Laws, and Family Courts in different court complexes across Delhi. She also worked as a Joint Registrar on deputation from September 2005 to September 2007.
Justice Rajneesh Kumar Gupta was born on May 21, 1966. He completed his B.Sc. (Hons.) and LL.B. from Punjab University. He joined the Delhi Judicial Service in 1992 and later earned an LL.M. from Kurukshetra University.
In 2006, he was promoted to the Delhi Higher Judicial Service. Before becoming a judge of the Delhi High Court, he served as the Principal District & Sessions Judge (South-East) at Saket Courts Complex, New Delhi.
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