The central government announced on Tuesday the appointments of Justices N. Kotiswar Singh and R. Mahadevan to the Supreme Court, based on recommendations from the collegium.
Justice Singh’s elevation is historic, as he is the first judge from Manipur to be appointed to the Supreme Court, more than 70 years after India gained independence. These appointments bring the Supreme Court to its full authorized strength of 34 judges, including the Chief Justice of India.
The collegium, led by Chief Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud, recommended their names on July 11, considering factors such as seniority, merit, and judicial integrity. The collegium also includes Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Bhushan R. Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy.
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With recent retirements in April and May, the Supreme Court had been operating with 32 judges, two short of its full strength. Justice Hima Kohli’s upcoming retirement in September added urgency to the new appointments. The timely recommendations by the collegium and the quick approval by the central government have now restored the Supreme Court to full strength.
The collegium’s resolution on Justice Singh stated: “His appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court will provide representation to the North-East, and in particular, he will be the first judge from the state of Manipur to be appointed to the Supreme Court.” Justice Singh, appointed as the Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court in February 2023, began his judicial career as an additional judge of the Gauhati High Court in October 2011. The collegium noted his impeccable record in both judicial and administrative capacities.
Justice Mahadevan, who joined the Madras High Court in October 2013, hails from a backward community in Tamil Nadu. The collegium emphasized that his appointment would enhance diversity on the bench. The resolution explained that Justice Mahadevan was chosen over two senior judges from the Madras High Court to provide representation to the backward community.
The last appointment to the Supreme Court was Justice P.B. Varale in January 2024, which marked the first time the court had three judges from the Scheduled Caste category. In April 2023, CJI Chandrachud announced the involvement of the Centre of Research and Planning (CRP) in preparing a list of potential future appointments to the top court. The CRP assists the permanent secretariat in the Supreme Court, which handles various aspects of judicial appointments, including gathering information, preparing records, and presenting them to the collegium.
On July 11, the collegium also recommended new full-time chief justices for eight high courts: Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Madras, and Meghalaya. However, these appointments are still pending approval by the Centre.
