The Bar Council of India on Wednesday, January 16 raised its objection to the Supreme Court Collegium’s last week’s resolution to overturn the earlier decision of elevating two High Court Chief Justices to the apex court. The council has asked the Collegium Judges to recall its January 10 decision to elevate Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Sanjeev Khanna, a judge of Delhi High Court.
In a strongly-worded letter, BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra called the decision “improper” and “unjust”. “The suppression of several senior judges and chief justices of the country cannot be tolerated by the people; the revocation of the earlier decision recommending the names of Mr Pradeep Nandrajog and Mr Rajendra Menon is whimsical and arbitrary,” Mishra wrote.
The BCI chairman underlined that “the faith of the people has abruptly eroded” from the collegium systems in the recent past. Commenting on the decision, Mishra said though the council has nothing against Justice Khanna, he can wait for his turn. “There is no hurry to elevate him ignoring the merit and seniority of several Chief Justices and puisne Judges of the country,” he wrote. “Bar will request the Collegium and the government not to encourage such suppression,” the senior advocate added.
Mishra pointed out that the Bar Council of Delhi has also taken a resolution against the Collegium’s decision. He also noted that several State Bar Councils, High Court, Bar Associations, and other Bar Associations of the country have written to the BCI citing their resentment.
Read the full letter here: 
On January 10, the new SC Collegium comprising of the five senior most judges — CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justice AK Sikri, Justice SA Bobde, Justice NV Ramana and Justice Arun Mishra — formed after the retirement of Justice Madan Lokur held its first meeting.
In the meeting, a resolution was passed to stop the elevation of Justice Pradeep Nandrajog, Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court, and Justice Rajendra Menon, Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, who had been recommended for the Supreme Court by the Collegium on December 12. The decision to instead elevate Justice Maheshwari and Justice Khanna — by completing ignoring the seniority factor — was taken.