CJI Administers Oath To 2 New SC Judges, Top Court Attains Full Bench Strength

CJI Chandrachud administered the oath of office to two new judges Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Aravind Kumar as Supreme Court judges.

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Monday administered the oath of office to two new judges Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Aravind Kumar as Supreme Court judges. President Droupadi Murmu has signed the warrants of appointment of Justices Rajesh Bindal and Justice Aravind Kumar to the Supreme Court.

Justice Bindal was the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court and Justice Kumar severed as the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court before being elevated to the Supreme Court. The new judges were inducted in the Supreme Court after a swearing-in ceremony on Monday, at 10.30 am, as reported by the news agency ANI.

Law Minister Kiren Rijiju took to Twitter on Friday and announced fresh appointments to the top court. After the oath ceremony, the strength of the top court has achieved its full strength of 34 judges, including the Chief Justice of India, after a gap of nine months, ANI reported. The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended their names to the Centre for elevation on January 31.

Justice Bindal, born on April 16, 1961, was to demit office in April this year on attaining the age of 62 years, however, because of his elevation to the Supreme Court, he now has three more years in service. The retirement age for High court judges retire is 62 years while Supreme Court judges retire at 65. Justice Kumar was born on July 14, 1962, and would turn 61 in July 2023.

Last week, five judges took oath as Supreme Court judges after their elevation. The new judges were inducted after a swearing-in ceremony in the Supreme Court.

Rajasthan High Court (HC) Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal, Patna HC Chief Justice Sanjay Karol, Manipur HC Chief Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, Patna HC judge, Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Allahabad HC judge, Justice Manoj Misra took oath as judges of the top court.
The Supreme Court Collegium on December 13 last year had recommended these names for the elevation.

On February 3, an apex court bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul gave a word of caution to the Centre saying that things would get "uncomfortable" if the government continues to delay judicial appointments and transfers.