As the Supreme Court of India reconvenes on July 8 following its summer break, all eyes are on the collegium as it gears up to finalize the names of two new judges to fill the existing vacancies in the apex court. This critical meeting is set to focus on selecting candidates who exhibit judicial integrity, extensive experience, and unparalleled competence. Currently, the Supreme Court is operating with 32 judges, which is two short of its sanctioned strength of 34, following the recent retirements of Justices Aniruddha Bose and A.S. Bopanna. Additionally, with Justice Hima Kohli set to retire in September, the urgency for new appointments is palpable.
The Collegium's Role and Key Members
The collegium, presided over by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud, includes Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B.R. Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy. Justice Roy, the new entrant to the collegium, joined following the retirement of Justice Bopanna in May. This selection body, based on the 1999 Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) of appointment, is pivotal in the appointment and transfer of judges of the Supreme Court and high courts in India.
The names under consideration by the collegium include several high court chief justices and senior judges. The pool of candidates comprises Justices T.S. Sivagnanam, N. Kotiswar Singh, Siddharth Mridul, Manmohan (who uses a single name), Alok Aradhe, Aparesh Kumar Singh, K. Vinod Chandran, Sunita Agarwal, D.S. Thakur, and R. Mahadevan. With the exception of Justice Mahadevan, all these judges are current high court chief justices.
- Justice T.S. Sivagnanam: Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, began his judicial career as an additional judge of the Madras High Court in March 2009.
- Justice N. Kotiswar Singh: Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court since February 2023, started as an additional judge of the Gauhati High Court in October 2011.
- Justice Siddharth Mridul : Serving as the Manipur High Court chief justice since October 2023, his judicial journey began in March 2008 as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court.
- Justice Manmohan : Acting chief justice of the Delhi High Court since November 2023, appointed as a judge in March 2008.
- Justice Alok Aradhe : Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court since July 2023, initially appointed as a judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in December 2009.
- Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh: Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court since April 2023, began as an additional judge of the Jharkhand High Court in January 2012.
- Justice K. Vinod Chandran: Chief Justice of the Patna High Court since March 2023, started as an additional judge of the Kerala High Court in November 2011.
- Justice Sunita Agarwal: Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court since July 2023, appointed as an additional judge of the Allahabad High Court in November 2011.
- Justice D.S. Thakur: Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, appointed as a judge in the J&K High Court in March 2013.
- Justice R. Mahadevan: Judge of the Madras High Court since October 2013, currently the acting chief justice.
Previous Appointments and Future Considerations
The last appointment to the Supreme Court was Justice P.B. Varale, following the collegium’s resolution in January 2024. This appointment marked a historic moment with the Supreme Court having three judges from the Scheduled Caste category, including Justices Gavai and C.T. Ravikumar. Justice Gavai is also set to become the CJI in May 2025, succeeding Justice K.G. Balakrishnan as the second Dalit CJI.
In an effort to ensure no vacancies remain unfilled, CJI Chandrachud has involved the Centre of Research and Planning (CRP) in preparing a list of probables for future appointments. The CRP, as an in-house think tank, assists the permanent secretariat in the top court, dealing with various aspects of judicial appointments, including information collection and record preparation.
As the Supreme Court of India prepares for these significant appointments, the focus remains on maintaining the integrity, experience, and competence of its judges, ensuring that the highest standards of justice are upheld in the country.
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