All nine names proposed by the Supreme Court Collegiums led by CJI NV Ramana for recruitment as justices of the apex court are said to have been approved by President Ramnath Kovind after being cleared by the Centre.
One of the names on the list, Justice BV Nagarathna, maybe on her way to becoming India’s first female Chief Justice, thus writing history, News 18 reported.
The files have reportedly been forwarded to the President for further formalities.
If everything goes according to plan, the Supreme Court will swear in the nine new judges early next week.
Eight Supreme Court justices and one Supreme Court lawyer are among the nine names on the list.
They are Karnataka Chief Justice A.S. Oka, the highest-ranking Chief Justice in the High Court; Gujarat Chief Justice Vikram Nath; Sikkim Chief Justice J.K. Maheshwari; and Telangana Chief Justice Hima Kohli, Justice Nagarathna; Kerala High Court judge Justice C.T. Ravikumar; Madras High Court judge Justice M.M. Sundresh; Gujarat High Court judge Justice Bela M. Trivedi; and senior attorney P.S. Narasimha, in that order.
The Collegium comprises of Justices U.U. Lalit, A.M. Khanwilkar, D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice L. Nageswara.
For the first time, the Collegium recommended three female judges in a single resolution.
It also sends a strong message in favour of female representation in the highest courts.
B V Nagarathna from the Karnataka High Court, who, if elevated, could become the first woman CJI of the country in 2027.
Reportedly, senior advocate PS Narsimha is said to be the Collegium’s first choice for direct elevation to the Supreme Court.
His recommendation comes less than a week after the retirement of Justice Rohinton F Nariman- the only fifth lawyer in India’s legal history to be directly appointed from the bar.