As Supreme Court Turns 75, Chief Justice To Lead Unique Ceremonial Bench

A unique ceremonial bench will sit tomorrow as the Supreme Court turns 75. The bench's attendance will be arranged in such a way that it would mirror the first sitting of the Supreme Court on January 28, 1950.

Sources said such a ceremonial bench has been organised for the first time under the leadership of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the programme before the ceremonial sitting begins.

The ceremonial bench will sit in the courtroom of Chief Justice Chandrachud. All the 34 judges of the Supreme Court including Chief Justice Chandrachud will attend.

Similar to the arrangement in 1950, the Chief Justices of all 25 high courts will also attend. The sitting will be streamed online live.

The ceremonial sitting seeks to assure citizens that the judiciary will always play the role of the protector of the Constitution, sources said.

Sources said Chief Justice Chandrachud held consultations and also looked at photographs of the first bench of the Supreme Court in 1950 to finalise tomorrow's event.

Back then, along with the Supreme Court judges, high court judges had also sat on the same bench. So for tomorrow's event, since all the 34 judges of the Supreme Court will sit on the bench of Chief Justice Chandrachud's courtroom, the bench has also been prepared to accommodate the 25 high court Chief Justices, but only as judges.

The livestream will last 30 minutes, according to the court registry. The event is expected to showcase digital initiatives taken by the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Chandrachud's leadership.

The programme will include the inauguration of the Supreme Court's new website.