Two new judges sworn-in, SC at full strength

New Delhi, July 18: Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud on Thursday administered the oath of office to two new judges of the Supreme Court.

Justices N. Kotiswar Singh and R. Mahadevan took oath as Supreme Court judges taking the apex court to its full working strength of 34 judges.

Last week, the SC Collegium, headed by CJI Chandrachud, recommended the elevation of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court's Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Madras High Court’s Acting Chief Justice R. Mahadevan to the top court.

Acting swiftly on the Collegium’s recommendations, the Centre on Tuesday cleared the appointment of Justices N. Kotiswar Singh and R. Mahadevan to the apex court.

In its statement, the apex court Collegium had said that it took factors like seniority, merit, integrity, diversity of region, gender and community, and inclusion of marginalised and backward sections of society, etc.. while making recommendations for appointment to the Supreme Court.

Justice Kotiswar Singh, who hails from Manipur was originally appointed as a Judge of the Gauhati High Court in October 2011.

In February last year, he was appointed Chief Justice of the High Court for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

"His appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court will provide representation to the North-East, and in particular he will be the first Judge from the State of Manipur to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court. Mr Justice N. Kotiswar Singh has an impeccable record, both in judicial capacity and in terms of the work which has been rendered by him on the administrative side, as the Chief Justice of the High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh,” the Collegium said.

Justice R. Mahadevan ranked third in the order of serving judges of the Madras High Court and was functioning as Acting Chief Justice of the Madras HC.

The Collegium said that it gave precedence to the candidature of Justice Mahadevan in order to give representation to the backward community.

"Mr Justice Mahadevan belongs to a backward community from the state of Tamil Nadu. His appointment will bring diversity to the Bench," it said, adding that he is eminently suitable for appointment as an SC judge.