9 new SC judges take oath of office

 

 

 

NINE new judges, including three women, were on Tuesday administered oath of office as judges of the Supreme Court, taking its strength to 33. It is for the first time in the history of the apex court that nine judges took oath of office at one go.

 

Chief Justice of India N V Ramana administered the oath of office to the new judges in a swearing-in ceremony held in the auditorium of the Supreme Court’s additional building complex. With the swearing-in of the nine new judges, the strength of the Supreme Court has risen to 33, including the CJI, out of the sanctioned strength of 34. The nine new judges who were administered oath of office as apex court judges include Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari, Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B V Nagarathna. Besides them, Justice C T Ravikumar, Justice M M Sundresh, Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice P S Narasimha, who was a senior advocate and former Additional Solicitor General, were also administered oath of office by the CJI. Justice Nagarathna, the daughter of former CJI E S Venkataramiah, is in line to become the first woman CJI in September 2027.

 

Three out of these nine new judges -- Justices Nath, Nagarathna and Narasimha -- are also in line to become the CJI. Before the administration of oath of office, the warrant of appointment issue by President Ram Nath Kovind was read during the swearing-in ceremony. Justice Nath is in line to become the CJI upon retirement of sitting apex court judge Justice Surya Kant in February 2027. Justice Nath would be succeeded by Justice Nagarathna, who would have a tenure of over a month as the head of the judiciary. Justice Narasimha would succeed Justice Nagarathna as the CJI and would have a tenure of over six months.