Chief Justice of India NV Ramana will retire on August 26
A meeting of the Supreme Court collegium on Wednesday did not reach a consensus on appointment of judges, sources have said. The same happened on Tuesday too, when the collegium sat for a rare 75-minute-long meet to decide the appointment of three judges in the Supreme Court and the appointment or transfer of high court judges.
Now it has been decided that only the new Chief Justice of India will decide on the appointment of judges in the Supreme Court and in high courts, sources said.
The collegium comprises Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justice UU Lalit, Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice SK Kaul and Justice S Abdul Nazeer.
Chief Justice Ramana will retire on August 26 and Justice Lalit is set to take oath as the 49th Chief Justice of India on August 27.
Chief Justice Ramana has also written a letter seeking recommendation of Justice Lalit's name as the next Chief Justice of India. Traditionally, the Law Ministry writes this letter a month before the Chief Justice retires, who then sends the recommendation to the ministry.
Chief Justice NV Ramana has written a letter seeking recommendation of Justice UU Lalit's name as the next Chief Justice of India
Under Chief Justice Ramana, the Supreme Court saw a record number of appointments when nine judges took oath simultaneously. And for the first time, three women judges also took oath in the Supreme Court. With this move, the country is set to have its first woman Chief Justice of India when Justice BV Nagarathna takes oath in 2027.
Some 250 judges were appointed in high courts during the tenure of Chief Justice Ramana.The Supreme Court has three vacancies after three judges retired recently - Justice Vineet Saran, Justice LN Rao and Justice AM Khanwilkar.
Justice Lalit's tenure will be of only 74 days. As the Chief Justice, he will head the collegium comprising Justice Chandrachud, Justice SK Kaul, Justice S Abdul Nazeer and Justice Indira Banerjee.
Justice KM Joseph will enter the collegium with the retirement of Justice Indira Banerjee on September 23.
Justice Lalit will retire on November 8 and after that Justice DY Chandrachud will be appointed as the 50th Chief Justice of India.