Seven sworn in as Delhi high court judges, taking HC strength to 50

Seven judicial officers on Monday, took oath as judges of the Delhi high court (HC) taking its strength to 50, against the sanctioned of 60.

The oath to the judicial officers, Nivedita Anil Sharma, Nisha Sahay Saxena, Sanjay Sharma-I, Bharat Parashar, Dr Aditi Choudhary, Dinesh Bhatt, Arun Bhardwaj was administered by chief justice DK Upadhyaya.

While Nivedita Anil Sharma and Nisha Sahay Saxena have been appointed as permanent judges, Sanjay Sharma-I, Bharat Parashar, Dr Aditi Choudhary, Dinesh Bhatt, Arun Bhardwaj have been appointed as additional judges.

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The judges took oath, after the central government on Saturday notified the appointment of seven judicial officers as judges of the Delhi HC, despite the Supreme Court collegium having recommended eight names on September 10.

However, the Centre through the notification posted on X by Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal cleared the appointments of only seven, and withheld the approval for Gurvinder Pal Singh’s name.

Bhardwaj, prior to the oath, was serving as the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court, while Parashar was serving as secretary general of the Supreme Court.

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Saxena was the principal district and sessions judge of the Rohini North-West District, while Sharma-I served as the principal district and sessions judge of the Karkardooma North-East District. Bhatt was the principal district judge-cum-special judge (PC Act) (CBI) at the Rouse Avenue Courts.

Two judicial officers, Nivedita Anil Sharma and Dr Choudhary, had retired, their names along with Gurvinder Pal Singh’s name, according to people familiar with the development, had earlier been recommended by the Delhi HC collegium for elevation to the High Court.