Karnataka Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale Elevated To Supreme Court, Oath Tomorrow

The Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, Prasanna B Varale, has been elevated to the Supreme Court. He will take oath tomorrow, sources said. He replaces Justice S K Kaul, who retired last month. His elevation takes the number of Supreme Court judges back to its full strength of 34.

The 61-year-old has practiced law (specifically civil, criminal, labour, and administrative matters) for over two decades, and previously served in the Bombay High Court.

He took oath as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court in October 2022.

While recommending his name earlier this month, the Supreme Court Collegium said it took into consideration the fact that he is among the senior-most high court judges and is the only High Court Chief Justice from the Scheduled Caste.

He would become the third sitting judge from a Scheduled Caste community. The others are Justices B R Gavai and C T Ravikumar.

Justice Varale's appointment came within a week of the Supreme Court Collegium recommending his name.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Prasarma Bhalachandra Varale, Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, to be a Judge of the Supreme Court of India, with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office," read the notification from the law ministry.