Govt-SC deadlock ends, P Krishna Bhat elevated as Karnataka HC Judge

Krishna Bhat, the Central government finally on Monday cleared his appointment as a Justice of the Karnataka High Court.

The Notification issued on Monday night said, “the President is pleased to appoint Sh Panjigadde Krishna Bhat as an additional Judge of the Karnataka High court for a period of two years with effect from the date he assumes charge of his respective office.”

On October 15, the Supreme Court collegium reiterated for the third time that the appointment of PK Bhat to the Karnataka HC “be processed most expeditiously.”


Earlier, Three former CJIs and a former HC chief justice had found no merit in a lady Civil Judge’s charges against Krishna Bhat and cleared his appointment to the high court bench. Further, Intelligence Bureau had also not found material evidence against Bhat to substantiate the allegations.

A confidential note signed by the then CJI JS Khehar and justices Dipak Misra and J Chelameswar, “There was no material even with the Intelligence Bureau to even prima facie affirm the veracity of the allegations.”

The original proposal to appoint Bhat was initiated and processed by the collegium on February 8, 2016, but the the appointment was delayed.
On August 23, 2016, SC Collegium headed by TS Thakur, the then CJI, had cleared the appointment of Krishna Bhat, the recommendation was also endorsed by justices AR Dave and JS Khehar.