Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, August 18
The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended a record nine names, including three women high court judges for elevation to the Apex court.
The recommendations of the five-member Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India N V Ramana, if accepted by the government, are likely to give the country its first woman CJI — Justice BV Nagarathna of the Karnataka High Court, by 2027, sources said.
Two other women HC judges recommended for elevation are Telangana High Court Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Bela Trivedi of the Gujarat High Court, they added.
The Supreme Court has a sanctioned strength of 34 judges, including the CJI while presently it has been functioning with only 24 judges. With the retirement of Justice Navin Sinha on Wednesday, the actual strength of the top court would come down to 23 judges. Once the government processed the Collegium recommendations, the top court’s strength would go up to 33, just one short of its sanctioned strength.
Senior advocate and former Additional Solicitor General PS Narasimha has also been recommended for elevation from the Bar to the Bench, sources said, adding that the other names are Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Vikram Nath, Sikkim High Court Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari and Kerala High Court judge CT Ravi Kumar and Madras High Court judge MM Sundersh.
