New Delhi | The Supreme Court collegium has recommended transfer of 23 judges of different high courts, including Gujarat High Court judge Justice Hemant M Prachchhak who had dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark.

The collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai and Surya Kant, in its meeting held on August 3 recommended transfer of nine judges of the high courts for "better administration of justice".

According to a collegium resolution uploaded on the apex court website, out of these nine names, four judges are from the Gujarat High Court while four are from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The other judge is from the Allahabad High Court.