Justice Lalit appointed next CJI, to take charge on Aug 27

On August 4, Justice NV Ramana put in motion the process of appointment of his successor by recommending name of justice Lalit, the most senior judge, to the Union government.

Justice Uday Umesh Lalit was on Wednesday appointed as the 49th Chief Justice of India (CJI) following a ratification of his appointment by President Droupadi Murmu. Justice Lalit will assume the charge on August 27 after incumbent CJI NV Ramana demits office the day before.

Justice Uday Umesh Lalit (HT Photo)

“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, judge of the Supreme Court, to be the Chief Justice of India with effect from August 27, 2022,” stated a Union law ministry notification.

Justice Ramana congratulated the CJI-designate and conveyed his best wishes for a glorious tenure, according to the Supreme Court administration. “The incumbent also expressed confidence that justice Lalit, with his long and rich experience in the bar as well as on the bench, will take the institution to greater heights through his able leadership,” it added.

On August 4, justice Ramana put in motion the process of appointment of his successor by recommending name of justice Lalit, the most senior judge, to the Union government. As a matter of convention, the Union law ministry writes to the CJI a little over a month before the latter’s retirement, seeking the name of his or her successor. The incumbent then writes back, sending the recommendation to the ministry 30 days before his retirement. Customarily, the senior most judge of the Supreme Court is appointed the CJI.

Justice Lalit, who will be appointed head of the judiciary on August 27, will have a tenure of less than three months as the CJI. He will retire on November 8 this year.

When he takes the helm on August 27, justice Lalit will become only the second judge after justice SM Sikri to be elevated directly from the bar who will go on to become the CJI. Justice Sikri was the CJI between 1971 and 1973. Justice Lalit was appointed a judge in the Supreme Court in August 2014.

Born in November 1957, justice Lalit is the son of ace criminal lawyer UR Lalit, who is also a former judge of the Bombay high court. Justice Lalit enrolled as an advocate in 1983 and practised at the Bombay High Court till 1985 before shifting his base to Delhi. Between 1986 and 1992, he worked with former attorney general Soli J Sorabjee. Justice Lalit was designated as senior advocate by the Supreme Court in April 2004.

Known for his thoroughness with the case and somber demeanour in arguing difficult and highly sensational cases, from politicians like former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh to cine-stars such as Salman Khan, justice Lalit was a preferred choice as a criminal defence lawyer.

Impressed by his ability and integrity, the Supreme Court, in 2011, appointed him as the special public prosecutor in all 2G spectrum scam cases to ensure “fair prosecution”. The top court overruled the Centre’s mandate to appoint a prosecutor and reposed complete faith in senior counsel Lalit (as he then was) to lead the prosecution on behalf of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). In August 2014, justice Lalit was elevated as a judge in the Supreme Court, making him only the sixth lawyer in India’s judicial history to be directly appointed to the top court.