President appoints Justice Bagchi to Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: The President on Monday appointed Calcutta high court’s Justice Joymalya Bagchi to Supreme Court. Justice Bagchi is scheduled to become the Chief Justice of India on May 26, 2031, the second from Calcutta HC to rise to the top post in 40 years.

A short notification from the Union law and justice ministry read: “In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Justice Joymalya Bagchi, judge of the Calcutta HC, to be a judge of the Supreme Court of India with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office.”

Justice Bagchi’s appointment came through within four days of the five-judge SC collegium recommending his name to the Union govt for appointment as a judge of the SC. Despite the appointment process getting completed swiftly by the govt, which normally takes months for appointment of HC judges, Justice Bagchi would be able to take oath only on March 17, when the apex court resumes business after the week-long break for Holi festivities.

Prior to Justice Bagchi assuming the top post in the judiciary, Justice Altamas Kabir was the last one from Calcutta HC to have gone on to become the CJI. Justice Kabir, who was appointed as judge of the SC on Sept 9, 2005, became the CJI on Sept 29, 2012, and retired on July 19, 2013, a tenure of nearly 10 months. Before Justice Kabir, it was Justice Sabyasachi Mukherjee, who had become the CJI on Dec 18, 1989, but died on Sept 25, 1990.

There is a long list of succession for the CJI post among present judges. After present CJI Sanjiv Khanna’s retirement on May 13, Justice Gavai would be the CJI till Nov 23. He will be succeeded by Justice Surya Kant, who will have a tenure of one year and three months.

After Justice Kant, following would be in line to become CJIs — Justices Vikram Nath (tenure of over seven months), B V Nagarathna (37 days), P S Narasimha (over seven months), J B Pardiwala (two years and three months) , K V Viswanathan (over seven months). After Justice Pardiwala’s retirement as the CJI on Aug 11, 2030, Justice Viswanathan will be the CJI till May 25, 2031. He will be succeeded by Justice Bagchi, who would have a short tenure of little over four months, and retire on Oct 2, 2031.