SC Collegium recommends elevation of J&K and Ladakh HC Chief Justice, Madras HC ACJ to apex court

New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) The Supreme Court collegium, headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, on Thursday recommended appointments of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court's Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Madras High Court’s Acting Chief Justice R Mahadevan as apex court judges.

The Supreme Court, which has a sanctioned strength of 34 judges, is presently functioning with a strength of 32 after the retirement of Justices Aniruddha Bose and A.S. Bopanna on April 10 and May 19, respectively.

The Collegium 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 top 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 as 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 is presently the Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court and ranks third in the order of presently serving judges of the Madras HC.

The Collegium said that it has given 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 apex court judge.

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