The Supreme Court got five new judges on February 6, increasing its judicial strength to 32.
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Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud read the oath of allegiance to the Constitution to Rajasthan HC Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal; Patna HC Chief Justice Sanjay Karol; Manipur HC Chief Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar; Patna HC judge, Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah; and Allahabad HC judge, Justice Manoj Misra.
The court is now just two short of its sanctioned strength of 34 judges.
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The Supreme Court Collegium’s proposal on January 31 to appoint Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Aravind Kumar is still pending with the government. If these are made shortly, the Chandrachud Court will for the first time function with the full strength of its Bench. Many constitutional questions of law, bail matters, and important commercial cases are awaiting judicial attention even as the court is evolving fast to embrace technology and a hybrid mode of functioning in its day-to-day affairs. The court has also faced a barrage of verbal attacks from government and constitutional functionaries on the Collegium system of appointments.
Justice Mithal was appointed Rajasthan CJ only on October 14, 2022. He was born on June 17, 1961. His parent High Court is Allahabad.
Justice Karol was appointed the CJ of the Patna HC on November 11, 2019. His parent HC is Himachal Pradesh. He was born on August 23, 1961.
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Justice Kumar was appointed the CJ of Manipur HC on February 14, 2021. His parent HC is Telangana. He was born on August 14, 1963.
Justice Amanullah was appointed judge of his parent Patna HC on June 20, 2011. He was transferred to Andhra Pradesh High Court in October last year. He was re-transferred back to Patna HC on June 20, 2022. He was born on May 11, 1963.
Justice Misra has been a Permanent Judge of the Allahabad HC since August 2013. He was born on June 2, 1965.