Supreme Court Creates History As 9 New Judges Take Oath

Justice N.V. Ramana on Tuesday administered the oath of Office to nine new  Supreme Court Judges. This is for the first time in the history of the Supreme Court of India when 9 judges have taken the oath of office in one go.

In another first, the venue of the ceremony is shifted to the auditorium. This was done keeping in view the need for strict adherence to COVID norms. Traditionally, Oath to the new Judges is administered in Court Room No.1 which is presided over by Hon’ble the Chief Justice of India. 

It may be recalled that the Supreme Court Collegium, on 17 August 2021, had recommended nine names for elevation to the Bench of Hon’ble Supreme Court. Accepting the recommendations made by the Supreme Court Collegium, the Hon’ble President of India has appointed nine Judges to the Hon’ble Supreme Court on 26 August 2021.

Let's get to know the newly appointed Judges

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka

Justice Oka enrolled as an Advocate on 28th June 1983 and started practicing in Thane District Court in the chamber of his father Shreeniwas W. Oka. In 1985-86, he joined the chamber of Shri V. P. Tipnis, a former Judge of the Bombay High Court and former Lok Ayukta. During his career as a lawyer, Justice Oka appeared in several important matters and in public interest litigations. He was elevated as Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on 29th August 2003. and appointed as a permanent Judge from 12th November 2005. He took oath as The Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka on 10th May 2019.

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vikram Nath

A fourth-generation lawyer, Justice Vikram Nath was born in a middle-class family in Uttar Pradesh. 

He practiced as a lawyer at Allahabad High Court for a period of 17 years. He was elevated as Judge of Allahabad High Court on 24 September 2004. and elevated as Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court in   September 2019.

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari

His Lordship was born on June 29, 1961, in the small town of Jaura, District Morena (M.P.)

His Lordship was enrolled as an Advocate with the State Bar Council of Madhya Pradesh on November 22, 1985, and practiced in Civil, Criminal, Constitutional, Service and Tax matters in the High Court of Madhya Pradesh mainly at Gwalior Bench and Principal Seat at Jabalpur and the Supreme Court of India. His Lordship was elevated as Additional Judge of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh on November 25, 2005, and made permanent on November 25, 2008. 

Hon’ble Ms. Justice Hima Kohli

Justice Kohli was born on 2 September 1959 in New Delhi. She started practicing law in Delhi in 1984 after finishing her law degree. She had a 5-year stint as a counsel for Municipal Council between 1999 and 2004, as well as representing the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. She was also appointed as a legal advisor to several Delhi and central government bodies, including the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation of India, and the National Co-operative Development Corporation. She also provided legal aid services with the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee.

On 29 May 2006, Kohli was appointed as an additional judge on the Delhi High Court, and her appointment was made permanent on 29 August 2007.

In 2021, Kohli was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court, becoming the first woman to occupy that position since it was separated from the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 2019.

Hon’ble Mrs. Justice Bangalore Venkataramiah Nagarathna: Justice B.V. Nagarathna enrolled with the Bar Council of Karnataka in 1987 and practiced constitutional and commercial law in Bangalore. However, her career gravitated towards the judiciary when she was appointed as an additional judge of the Karnataka High Court in 2008. She was appointed as a permanent judge on 17 February 2010. 

If everything goes as expected Justice BV Nagarathna would become the second Chief Justice Of India from her family. Her father E.S. Venkataramiah has held the coveted post for 6 months from June 1989 and December 1989. Although this in itself is a rare feat, the year 2027 could be a historic one for the Indian Judiciary as Justice Nagarathna would be the first woman Chief Justice of India. Although, her tenure of 36 days might be one of the shortest. It will still be one of the most awaited tenures for the Supreme Court Judge.

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Chudalayil Thevan Ravikumar: Justice C.T. Ravi Kumar enrolled as an Advocate in 1986 and has been serving as a High Court Judge for 12 years. Collogues and peers hail his modest demeanor and zeal for hard work throughout his career.

Hon’ble Mr. Justice M.M. Sundresh: Hon`ble Thiru Justice M.M.Sundresh enrolled himself as an Advocate in 1985 after completing his law from Madras Law College  He worked as Government Advocate between 1991 to 1996.  He learned law and gained experience in the chambers of the illustrious Seniors viz. S.Sivasubramaniam who later became a judge of the High Court and his father Thiru.V.K.Muthusamy, Senior Advocate. He had extensive practice in Civil (Appellate), Criminal and Writ Jurisdiction in the Madras High Court. He was appointed as an Additional Judge of Madras High Court on 31.03.2009 and appointed as a permanent Judge of Madras High Court on 29.03.2011 

Hon’ble Ms. Justice Bela Madhurya Trivedi: Justice Trivedi has previously been a judge of the Gujarat High Court since 9 February 2016. She formerly served as the Additional Judge of the Gujarat High Court from 17 February 2011 to 27 June 2011 and later served as the Additional Judge of the Rajasthan High Court. 

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narsimha: What is common between N Santosh Hegde, L N Rao, U U Lalit, Indu Malhotra, R.F. Nariman, and P.S. Narasimha?

Ever since the collegium system came into existence in 1993, only 5 lawyers have been directly appointed from the Bar as Judges to the Supreme Court. If his name is cleared for the appointment, Senior Advocate P.S. Narasimha could become the sixth lawyer from the Bar to become a Supreme Court Judge post the adoption of the collegium system.

The seasoned lawyer with a profound interest in Sanskrit and Shastric teachings played an instrumental part as an officer of the court in the outcome of the Ayodhya verdict.

The Oath Ceremony was live on DD News and DD India and the official web portal of the Supreme Court of India.