Justice Surya Kant took oath as India’s 53rd CJI at Rashtrapati Bhavan, beginning a tenure that brings a refreshed Supreme Court collegium. The transition was marked by former CJI BR Gavai’s thoughtful gesture of leaving the official car for his successor, a quiet but notable moment of institutional courtesy.
The Collegium, comprising Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, Justice Surya Kant, Justice Vikram Nath, Justice J.K. Maheshwari, and Justice B.V. Nagarathna, made the recommendation to fill two existing vacancies. The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court is 34, but it is currently functioning with 32 judges.
Speaking at the Supreme Court Bar Association’s (SCBA) Independence Day function, CJI Gavai underlined that under the constitutional framework, both the Supreme Court and High Courts are constitutional courts, “neither inferior nor superior to each other.”
The Collegium proposed the names of Justice NV Anjaria, Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court; Justice Vijay Bishnoi, Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court; and Justice AS Chandurkar, Judge of the Bombay High Court, for appointment as judges of the Supreme Court of India.
The Allahabad High Court Bar Association (AHCBA) has raised objections to the Supreme Court Collegium’s decision to transfer Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court.
The Collegium, comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices Sanjeev Khanna and BR Gavai, passed the resolutions on December 27.
"The chief minister and the Governor of the State of Himachal Pradesh have concurred with the recommendation," it added.
The top court has a sanctioned strength of 34 judges, but at present there are 31 judges – three judges short of its sanctioned strength.
The Supreme Court Collegium, which is headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana, had recommended nine names, including eight high court judges, three women judges, and a senior advocate for the elevation to the top court.
Earlier, It had approved the proposals to elevate certain judicial officers and advocates as judges of the High Courts of Allahabad, Kerala, and Gujarat.
