On Thursday, July 18, 2024, Justices N. Kotiswar Singh and R. Mahadevan were administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud.
After nearly three months, these newcomers returned the court to its maximum allowed number of judges at thirty four.
These vacancies arose from the retirement of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Justice A.S Bopanna in April l and May respectively, just before the summer holidays began.
The new appointments are first after the court reopened.
Since July 11, their names have been proposed by five-member Supreme Court Collegium; hence their appointments were cleared by government on July within a week that is on July 16th.
Justice Singh will become Manipur’s first Supreme Court judge having served as the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court. He was scheduled to retire on February 28, 2025.
Originally hailing from Manipur Mr Justice N. Kotiswar Singh… his appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court will provide representation to North-East where he has come from and in particular he will be the first Judge from Manipur State,” said the Collegium resolution made its position clear.
Senior Delhi High Court judge, Justice Suresh Kumar Kait’s name has been recently recommended by this Collegium for appointment as Chief Justice Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court..
Justice Mahadevan had been Acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court; he hails from backward community in Tamil Nadu. And according to Collegium resolution his elevation to top court would bring diversity into Bench.
Justice Mahadevan is “eminently suitable” for appointment as a Supreme Court judge.
“The Collegium has taken due note of the fact that Mr. Justice R. Mahadevan ranks third in order among presently serving Judges of our Madras High Court including those who have been posted as CJ’s outside the State. At this stage, the Collegium has given precedence to the candidature of Mr Justice R Mahadevan in order to give representation to backward community,” said Collegium resolution.
Recently, another Senior Judge of Bombay High Court, Justice K R Shriram’s name has been recommended by this Collegium for appointment as Madras High Court Chief Justice.
