Supreme Court Collegium Nominates First Manipur Judge and Madras Acting Chief for Top Court Elevation

The Supreme Court Collegium recommends Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh and Acting Chief of Madras High Court R Mahadevan for elevation to the Supreme Court. Justice Singh will be the first judge from Manipur to be appointed to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh and Acting Chief of Madras High Court R Mahadevan for elevation to the nation's highest judicial body. Justice Singh will be the first judge from the State of Manipur to join 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,' stated the resolution from the Collegium, which includes Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy.

The resolution praised Justice Singh's impeccable judicial record and administrative acumen, noting his work as Chief Justice of the High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Collegium deemed him eminently suitable for the Supreme Court based on his performance and integrity.

Justice Mahadevan, currently the Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, was also highlighted as a strong candidate. The Collegium acknowledged his judicial work and seniority, emphasizing that his appointment would diversify the Bench as he belongs to a backward community from Tamil Nadu.

The recommendation comes as two vacancies have arisen in the Supreme Court: Justice Aniruddha Bose retired on April 10, 2024, and Justice AS Bopanna retired on May 19, 2024.