SC Collegium recommends appointment of senior advocate Kardak Ete as Gauhati HC judge

The Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on Thursday recommended the appointment of senior advocate Kardak Ete as a judge of the Gauhati High Court.

Ete belongs to a Scheduled Tribe.

The Collegium, which includes Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K M Joseph, noted that the Collegium of the Gauhati High Court comprising the then chief justice and two senior-most judges unanimously made the recommendation on December 1, 2022.

The chief ministers and governors of the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland have concurred with the recommendation, it noted.

The Supreme Court Collegium noted, “In order to ascertain the fitness and suitability of Kardak Ete for elevation to the High Court, in terms of the Memorandum of Procedure, the judges of the Supreme Court conversant with the affairs of the Gauhati High Court were consulted.

“For the purpose of assessing the merit and suitability of Kardak Ete for elevation to the High Court, we have scrutinised and evaluated the material placed on record. We have also perused the observations made by the Department of Justice in the file…

“The report of the Intelligence Bureau indicates that he enjoys a good personal and professional image and nothing adverse has come to notice with regard to integrity. The candidate belongs to a Scheduled Tribe. Besides his own competence and standing at the Bar, the appointment of Kardak Ete will bring greater diversity and inclusion in the High Court. The Collegium, therefore, resolves to recommend that Kardak Ete, Advocate, be appointed as a judge of the Gauhati High Court,” the resolution stated.