Justice Bagchi sworn in as SC judge, set to become CJI in 2031

With this appointment, justice Bagchi fills one of the two vacancies in the Supreme Court, which has a sanctioned strength of 34 judges

Justice Joymalya Bagchi was sworn in as a judge of the Supreme Court on Monday, with Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna administering the oath of office. His elevation to the apex court comes just a week after the Union government cleared his appointment, following a recommendation by the Supreme Court collegium on March 6. Apart from CJI Khanna, the Supreme Court collegium comprises justices Bhushan R Gavai, Surya Kant, Abhay S Oka and Vikram Nath.

Justice Bagchi was appointed as a judge of the Calcutta high court in June 2011. (HT photo | Sourced)

With this appointment, justice Bagchi fills one of the two vacancies in the Supreme Court, which has a sanctioned strength of 34 judges. His tenure in the Supreme Court is expected to be particularly significant, as he is set to become the CJI in May 2031 -- albeit for a brief period of just over four months before he retires on October 2, 2031.

The Supreme Court collegium, comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and justices Bhushan R Gavai, Surya Kant, Abhay S Oka and Vikram Nath, had recommended Justice Bagchi’s appointment on March 6. While assessing candidates, the collegium considered his merit, integrity, and judicial competence, along with factors such as regional representation and seniority.

Justice Bagchi was appointed as a judge of the Calcutta high court in June 2011. In January 2021, he was transferred to the Andhra Pradesh high court, before being repatriated to the Calcutta high court in November 2021. Over his 13-year tenure as a high court judge, he has gained extensive experience across diverse fields of law.

The collegium’s resolution had also noted that since the retirement of justice Altamas Kabir as CJI in 2013, no judge from the Calcutta high court has been appointed to the country’s top judicial position. Upon the retirement of justice KV Viswanathan on May 25, 2031, justice Bagchi will be in line to assume the role of CJI and would hold that position until his retirement on October 2, 2031.

Furthermore, the collegium noted that currently, only one judge from the Calcutta high court — justice Dipankar Datta, is serving on the Supreme Court bench. Justice Bagchi is ranked 11th in the combined all-India seniority of high court judges, including high court chief justices.

Justice Bagchi’s appointment helps bolster the Supreme Court bench, which had been functioning with 32 judges against the sanctioned 34. His expertise in civil, criminal, and constitutional law is expected to contribute significantly to the court’s functioning in the coming years.