Justice N. Kotiswar Singh of the Manipur High Court and Justice R. Mahadevan of the Madras High Court were sworn in as judges of the Supreme Court on Thursday.
The Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, administered the oath.
With the addition of these two judges, the Supreme Court has now reached its full sanctioned strength of 34 judges.
On July 11, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended the appointments of the two judges, which were approved by the Union government on July 16.
Justice Singh had been serving as Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court since February 2023. Hailing from Manipur, he is the first Supreme Court judge from that state
(i) Mr Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh
Mr Justice N Kotiswar Singh originally hails from Manipur. He was appointed as a Judge of the Gauhati High Court on 17 October 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 February 2023, he was appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. He is due to retire on 28 February 2025.
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. Considering the candidature of
Mr Justice N Kotiswar Singh in terms of his judicial performance, administrative acumen, integrity and merit, the Collegium is of the
view that he is eminently suitable for being appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
(ii) Mr Justice R Mahadevan
Mr Justice R Mahadevan is a Judge of the Madras High Court and is presently the 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 is of the view that he is eminently suitable for appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
Mr Justice Mahadevan belongs to a backward community from the State of Tamil Nadu. His appointment will bring diversity to the
Bench.
The Collegium has taken due note of the fact that Mr 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 Mr Justice R Mahadevan in order to give representation to the backward community.
For the above reasons, the Collegium is of the view that he is suitable and fit for being appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
