Justice Nagratna May Become The First Woman CJI

Justice Nagratna may become the first woman CJI, recommending nine names to the Center to fill the dwindling number of judges in the Supreme Court.

A total of nine names have been recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium to the central government for appointment as judges.

Sources said the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana has ended a nearly two-year-long impasse by recommending nine names for appointment as judges in the top court.

With the retirement of Justice R F Nariman on 12 August, the number of judges in the apex court was reduced to 25 against the sanctioned strength of 34, including the CJI.

Notably, no appointment has been made since the retirement of the then CJI Ranjan Gogoi on March 19, 2019.

Sources said the five-member collegium, which also includes Justices UU Lalit, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud, and L Nageswara Rao, has sent the names of three women judges, including Justice BV Nagarathna, from the Karnataka High Court.

It is expected that Justice Nagratna may become the first woman CJI.

According to people with more knowledge, apart from Justice Nagarathna, the two other women judges selected for the appointment are Chief Justice of Telangana High Court Justice Hima Kohli and Gujarat High Court Judge Bela Trivedi.

According to the report, the collegium has also selected senior advocate and former Additional Solicitor General PS Narasimha for direct appointment from the bar.

Other names, according to sources, are Justice Abhay Srinivas Oka (Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court), Vikram Nath (Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court).

Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari (Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court), CT Ravi Kumar (Kerala High Court). Judge in the U.S.) and MM Sundarash (also a Judge in the Kerala High Court).

The recommendations, if accepted, will take the number of people working to fill all the existing vacancies to 33. An additional vacancy will be on Wednesday when Justice Navin Sinha retires.