The Supreme Court Collegium, in its first meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, has recommended the transfer of three High Court judges for administrative reasons.
The meeting, which was held on Wednesday, decided to transfer Gujarat High Court Judge, Justice Nikhil S Kariel, along with Telangana High Court Judge, Justice A Abhishek Reddy, to the Patna High Court.
Besides, it recommended transfer of acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court, Justice T. Raja to Rajasthan High Court.
Justice Kariel was born on May 9, 1974 at Rajkot. His initial schooling was done in Rajkot, Nadiad and Vallabh Vidyanagar. He pursued law from V.B. College of Law, Udupi under the TMA Pai Foundation affiliated with Mangalore University.
Justice Kariel enrolled as an Advocate with the Bar Council of Gujarat in 1998 and started his independent practice in 2006. He appeared in a variety of cases related to Service Law, Civil Law and Criminal Law. He was elevated as Judge of the Gujarat High Court on October 4, 2020.
Justice A. Abhishek Reddy was born on November 7, 1967 at Lingampally village in Manchal Mandal of Ranga Reddy District in Telangana. His father, Advocate A.Pulla Reddy, was one of the senior most members of the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh in Hyderabad. His mother was Dr. A. Shashirekha Reddy.
Justice Reddy obtained Law Degree from the University College of Law, Osmania University in 1990 and enrolled as Advocate in the erstwhile Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad in July, 1990. He joined the chamber of his father and practised in various branches of Law before various Tribunals, Forums, Revenue authorities and courts.
He completed his LL.M. from Washington College of Law, The American University, Washington D.C. in 1993 and resumed practice. Justice Reddy was elevated to the Bench as Permanent Judge, High Court for the State of Telangana at Hyderabad on August 26, 2019.
Justice T. Raja was born on May 25, 1961 in a village of Thenur at Madurai district. He studied Law at Madurai Law college.
After enrollment on June 22, 1988, he practiced at the Madras High Court for more than two years. He then shifted practice to New Delhi, where he practiced in Civil, Criminal, Constitutional and Service laws before the Delhi High Court, Central Administrative Tribunal and the Supreme Court.
He was appointed as Additional Judge of the Madras High Court on March 31, 2009 and has been performing the duties of the Chief Justice office as Acting Chief Justice from September 22, 2022.