Collegium set to recommend four new judges for Supreme Court

The four new appointments will take up the number of judges in the Supreme Court from 30 to 34, the apex court’s sanctioned strength (the number was increased from 31 to 34 last month). This will also be the first time in a decade that the court has its entire complement of judges.

The Supreme Court collegium, comprising five senior most judges of the court, has recommended the names of Hrishikesh Roy, Chief Justice, Kerala High Court, Ravindra Bhat, Chief Justice, Rajasthan high Court, Krishna Murari, Chief Justice Punjab & Haryana High Court and V Ramasubramanian, Chief Justice Himachal Pradesh High Court for appointment as Supreme court judges, Hindustan Times learns.

The four new appointments will take up the number of judges in the Supreme Court from 30 to 34. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

People familiar with the appointments process confirmed that on Wednesday, the collegium met and cleared the names of the four high court chief justices for elevation and that names have been sent to the law and Justice Ministry.

The names will be notified after they are cleared by the government.

The four new appointments will take up the number of judges in the Supreme Court from 30 to 34, the apex court’s sanctioned strength (the number was increased from 31 to 34 last month). This will also be the first time in a decade that the court has its entire complement of judges.

The government move to increase the number of judges in the top court comes against the backdrop of rising cases which stand at nearly 60,000.

“You would recall that way back in 1988, about three decades ago, the judge strength of the SC was increased from 18 to 26, and then again, after two decades in 2009, it was increased to 31, including the CJI, to expedite disposal of cases to keep pace with the rate of institution,” wrote Gogoi in his letter.

Gogoi also wrote “I request you to kindly consider, on top priority, to augment the judge-strength in the SC appropriately so that it can function more efficiently and effectively as it will go a long way to attain ultimate goal of rendering timely justice to the litigant public.”