The Ministry of Law and Justice on 16-07-2024 notified the appointments of Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh and Justice R. Mahadevan as the new Judges of Supreme Court of India. The President of India made the appointments by exercising her power under Article 124(2) of the Constitution. The names of the afore-stated Judges were recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium on 11-07-2024.
With the induction of Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Justice R. Mahadevan, the Supreme Court will once again function on its sanctioned strength of 34 Judges. The strength of the Court had dropped to 32 Judges after the retirements of Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice A.S. Bopanna
Know Thy Newly Appointed Judges
Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh
Justice N Kotiswar Singh, who is currently the 36th Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, originally hails from Manipur. He was appointed as a Judge of the Gauhati High Court on 17-10-2011. On the formation of the High Court of Manipur, he was transferred as a Judge of that High Court from the Gauhati High Court.
On 15 -02-2023, he was appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
As per the Collegium, Justice Kotiswar’s appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court will provide representation to the North-East.
Did You Know? Justice N. Kotiswar Singh is the first Judge from the State of Manipur to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
The Collegium noted that 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.
Justice R. Mahadevan
Justice R Mahadevan is a Judge of the Madras High Court and is presently its Acting Chief Justice. Being conversant with the work of Justice Mahadevan on the judicial side and as a senior Judge of the High Court, the Collegium was of the view that he is eminently suitable for appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
The Collegium had observed that, Justice Mahadevan belongs to a backward community from the State of Tamil Nadu and his appointment to the Supreme Court will bring diversity to the Bench.
The Collegium took due note of the fact that Justice R. Mahadevan ranks third in the order of presently serving judges of the Madras High Court including the Judges who have been posted as Chief Justices outside the Madras High Court. At this stage, the Collegium has given precedence to the candidature of Justice R. Mahadevan in order to give representation to the backward community.
