New Delhi — The Supreme Court collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, has recommended the elevation of Justice N Kotiswar Singh, the current Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, and Justice R Mahadevan, the acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, to the Supreme Court.
Justice Singh’s elevation is particularly significant as it marks the appointment of the first judge from Manipur to the Supreme Court, more than 70 years after India gained independence.
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The collegium, which also includes Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Bhushan R Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy, considered factors such as seniority, merit, and judicial integrity before making their recommendations.
The Supreme Court currently has 32 judges, two short of its sanctioned strength of 34, due to recent retirements.
The urgency for new appointments is heightened by the upcoming retirement of Justice Hima Kohli in September.
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In its resolution regarding Justice Singh, the collegium emphasized his impeccable judicial and administrative record.
Justice Singh began his judicial career as an additional judge of the Gauhati High Court in October 2011 and was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court in February 2023.
Justice R Mahadevan, who was appointed to the Madras High Court in October 2013, belongs to a backward community from Tamil Nadu.
The collegium noted that his appointment would bring much-needed diversity to the Supreme Court bench.
The recommendations now await the approval of the President of India, following which the two justices will be formally elevated to the Supreme Court.