Nine new judges, including three women, would be administered the oath of office as judges of the Supreme Court by Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana on Tuesday.
Three out of these nine new judges — Justice Vikram Nath and Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice PS Narasimha — are in line to become the chief justice of India. The strength of the Supreme Court would go up to 33, including the CJI, out of the sanctioned strength of 34, after the swearing-in of the nine new judges.
This will be for the first time in the history of the top court when nine judges would be taking the oath of office in one go. Also, the swearing-in ceremony would be held in the auditorium of the Supreme Court’s additional building complex due to the coronavirus pandemic. Traditionally, new judges take the oath of office in the CJI’s courtroom.
The Supreme Court Collegium recommended the names of these nine judges on August 17 for appointment as judges of the top court. President Ram Nath Kovind then signed the warrants of their appointment as top court judges.
The top court has seen very few women judges since its inception and in the last over 71 years has appointed only eight women judges starting from M Fathima Beevi in 1989. Justice Indira Banerjee is the lone serving woman judge in the top court after her elevation on August 7, 2018.
Supreme Court judges retire at the age of 65 and the retirement age of high court judges is 62.
Here are the nine new judges who would be administered the oath of office:
1. Justice Vikram Nath: Justice Nath, who was the chief justice of the Gujarat High Court, is in line to become the CJI upon the retirement of sitting top court judge Justice Surya Kant in February 2027. He would be succeeded by Justice Nagarathna, who would have a tenure of over a month as the head of the judiciary.
2. Justice BV Nagarathna: Justice Nagarathna was a judge of the Karnataka High Court. Justice Nagarathna is in line to become the first woman CJI in September 2027. Justice Nagarathna, born on October 30, 1962, is the daughter of former CJI ES Venkataramiah.
3. Justice PS Narasimha: Justice Narasimha was a senior advocate and former additional solicitor general. Justice Narasimha would succeed Justice Nagarathna as the CJI and would have a tenure of over six months.
4. Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka: Justice Oka was the chief justice of the Karnataka High Court),
5. Justice Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari: Justice Maheshwari was the chief justice of the Sikkim High Court.
6. Justice Hima Kohli: Justice Kohli was the chief justice of the Telangana High Court
7. Justice CT Ravikumar: Justice Ravikumar was a judge of the Kerala High Court
8. Justice MM Sundresh: Justice Sundresh was a judge of the Madras High Court
9. Justice Bela M Trivedi: Justice Trivedi was a judge of the Gujarat High Court