SC regains full strength as two HC judges elevated to apex court

Two high court chief justices were on Friday elevated to the Supreme Court, bringing the total strength of the apex court to its maximum of 34 judges. This comes a week after five judges were appointed to the Supreme Court.

“As per the provisions under the Constitution of India, Honble President of India has appointed the following Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court. My best to them: Rajesh Bindal, Chief Justice, Allahabad HC and Aravind Kumar, Chief Justice, Gujarat HC,” Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted.

Also read: Five new judges sworn in at Supreme Court, taking strength to 32

Once they take oath, the top court will achieve its full strength of 34 judges, including the Chief Justice of India. The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended their names on January 31. Earlier, the collegium, headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, on December 13 last year had recommended five names for elevation to the top court. However, the Centre cleared them after almost a couple of months amid an intense tussle between the executive and the judiciary over the process of appointments.

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Rajasthan High Court Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal, Patna High Court Chief Justice Sanjay Karol, Manipur High Court Chief Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, Patna High Court judge Ahsanuddin Amanullah, and Allahabad High Court judge Manoj Misra took oath as Supreme Court judges earlier this week.

The collegium system, where a group of senior-most judges recommend names for elevation to the higher judiciary, has triggered a massive face-off between the Supreme Court and the Centre. Rijiju has repeatedly aired his views against the system, while the court has pushed back in equal measure, sparking a heated war of words.

(With Agency inputs)