Justices N Kotiswar Singh & R Mahadevan Take Oath As Supreme Court Judges; SC Back To Full Strength

The oath-taking ceremony of the two newly elevated judges to Supreme Court, Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh and Justice R. Mahadevan took place today (July 18) morning at 10:30 AM.  The proceedings of the Swearing-in-Ceremony can be viewed here. 

The appointment of these two judges comes after the resolution passed on July 11 by the Supreme Court Collegium, led by CJI DY Chandrachud. The Union on July 16 notified the appointment of the judges. 

With their appointments, the Supreme Court is back to its full strength of 34 judges.

The Collegium, responsible for recommending judicial appointments, has chosen Justice Singh and Justice Mahadevan based on their exceptional qualifications and the diversity they bring to the bench.

Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, previously serving as the Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, will make history as the first judge from Manipur to be appointed to the Supreme Court. His appointment is seen as a significant step towards representation for the North-East region in the Apex Court. The Collegium praised Justice Singh for his judicial performance, administrative skills, integrity, and overall merit.

Justice R. Mahadevan, who had been serving as the Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, as per the collegium would bring valuable experience and diversity to the Supreme Court. Hailing from a backward community in Tamil Nadu, his appointment is expected to enhance the representation of diverse backgrounds on the bench. The Collegium noted that Justice Mahadevan's selection, despite being third in seniority among Madras High Court judges, was made to ensure representation for the backward community.