SC Collegium recommends two names for elevation as Apex Court judges

New Delhi: In a significant move, the Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, recommended the elevation of two high court judges to the apex court. On Thursday, the Collegium proposed the names of Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice R Mahadevan for the Centre’s approval.

Justice N Kotiswar Singh currently serves as the Chief Justice of the High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, while Justice R Mahadevan holds the position of Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court.

The Collegium’s resolution, now available on the Supreme Court’s official website, stated: “In view of the foregoing, the Collegium resolves to recommend that the appointment of the above persons be made in the following order of seniority: (i) Justice N Kotiswar Singh, and (ii) Justice R Mahadevan.”

The Collegium, responsible for higher judiciary appointments, comprises Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy.

Currently, the Supreme Court has 32 judges, including the Chief Justice of India, against a sanctioned strength of 34. The elevation of Justices Singh and Mahadevan would address this shortfall, enhancing the court’s capacity to handle its extensive caseload.

Justice Singh has been serving as the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court since February 2023. He hails from Manipur and would be the first Supreme Court judge from the state if his appointment is confirmed by the Centre. “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 Collegium noted in its resolution.

Born on March 1, 1963, in Imphal, Manipur, Justice Singh initially practised before the Supreme Court of India before shifting to the Gauhati High Court, where he was designated a Senior Advocate in 2008.

Justice Singh was sworn in as an additional judge of the Gauhati High Court in 2011 and became a permanent judge in 2012. He was appointed a judge of the Manipur High Court upon its creation in 2013 and later transferred to the Gauhati High Court in 2018 before being elevated as the Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court.

Justice R Mahadevan has been serving as the Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court since May 2024. “Justice Mahadevan belongs to a backward community from the State of Tamil Nadu. His appointment will bring diversity to the Bench,” the Collegium noted. Despite being third in seniority at the Madras High Court, the Collegium prioritised his elevation to ensure representation from the backward community.

Justice Mahadevan completed his law degree at Madras Law College and enrolled as a lawyer in 1989. He practised in civil, criminal, and writ matters, specialising in indirect taxes, customs, and Central Excise. He served as Additional Government Pleader (Taxes) for the Government of Tamil Nadu, and Additional Central Government Standing Counsel and Senior Panel Counsel for the Government of India at the Madras High Court, handling over 9,000 cases.

He was elevated as a judge of the Madras High Court in 2013.