First Time In 70-Year History, Nine SC Judges Took Oath Of Office In One Go

With this the vacancies in the top court came down from 10 to 1. The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court in 34.

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana administered oath of office to the nine new judges – Justices Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, Vikram Nath, Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari, Hima Kohli, BV Nagarathna, CT Ravikumar, MM Sundresh, Bela Trivedi and PS Narsimha. This was the first time in its 70-year history that nine judges were taking oath of office in one go.

The names of the nine judges were recommended for elevation to Supreme Court by the collegium on August 17 and were subsequently approved by the Central government on August 26.

With the swearing in of nine new judges to the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning, the top court for the first time in its 70-year history has four sitting women judges

The four are Justices Indira Banerjee, Hima Kohli, BV Nagarathna and Bela Trivedi. While three of the four were sworn in on Tuesday, Justice Banerjee has been a Supreme Court judge since August 2018.

Previously, the highest number of sitting women judges in the apex court was three when Justices R Banumathi, Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee served as judges simultaneously for about two years between August 2018 and July 2020.

Out of the four current women judges, Justice Nagarathna will go on to become the first woman Chief Justice of India when she assumes the post in 2027.

Justice Banerjee was elevated as Supreme Court Judge on August 7, 2018, and will retire next year on September 23, 2022.

Source: Bar & Bench