The Central Government on Tuesday notified the appointment of N. Kotiswar Singh and R. Mahadevan as judges of the Supreme Court of India.
The Minister of Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, stated on his X Post account, “In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, is pleased to appoint Justices N Kotiswar Singh and R Mahadevan as Supreme Court judges.”
The Supreme Court Collegium recently recommended the elevation of Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh, and Acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court, R Mahadevan, to the top court.
It is noteworthy that Justice Singh will be the first judge from the State of Manipur to be appointed to the Supreme Court.
“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,” the resolution stated.
The Collegium consisted of Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B.R. Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy. The resolution noted, “Justice Singh has an impeccable record, both in judicial capacity and in terms of the work rendered by him on the administrative side, as the Chief Justice of the High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Considering Justice N Kotiswar Singh’s judicial performance, administrative acumen, integrity, and merit, the Collegium views him as eminently suitable for appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court.”
Justice Mahadevan, a judge of the Madras High Court, is currently the Acting Chief Justice.
“Being conversant with Justice Mahadevan’s work on the judicial side and as a senior judge of the High Court, the Collegium views him as eminently suitable for appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court,” added the Collegium. It further noted that Justice Mahadevan belongs to a backward community from the State of Tamil Nadu, and his appointment will bring diversity to the Bench.
The Collegium acknowledged that Justice Mahadevan ranks third among the currently serving judges of the Madras High Court, including those posted as Chief Justices outside the Madras High Court.
“At this stage, the Collegium has given precedence to Justice Mahadevan’s candidature to provide representation to the backward community. For the above reasons, the Collegium views him as suitable and fit for appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court,” it added.
The two judges were recommended for elevation to fill the vacancies created by the retirement of Justice Aniruddha Bose on April 10, 2024, and Justice A.S. Bopanna on May 19, 2024. Once the two are sworn in, the apex court will function at its full strength of 34 judges.
