[dropcap]T[/dropcap]HE Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi authorised by the President, today administered the oath of office to newly appointed judges Justices Krishna Murari, S. Ravindra Bhat, V. Ramasubramanian, and Hrishikesh Roy, taking the strength of Supreme Court to 34, the highest-ever..With these four news appointments, the Supreme Court for the first time since inception to function with its full strength of 34 judges including the CJI..Department of Justice, Government of India, on Wednesday issued the notification notifying the appointments of the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Krishna Murari, the Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court Justice S. Ravindra Bhat, the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court Justice V. Ramasubramanian, and the Chief Justice of Kerala High Court Justice Hrishikesh Roy as the judges of the Supreme Court..The Supreme Court Collegium comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SA Bobde, N V Ramana, Arun Mishra and Rohinton F Nariman, during its meeting on August 28 had decided to recommend the names of four above named Chief Justices of High Courts for the appointment as judges of the Supreme Court..On August 9, President had given assent to The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2019 which increased the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from the existing 31 to 34..Justice Krishna Murari was appointed as Judge of the Allahabad High Court on January 7, 2004, and was elevated as Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court on June 2, 2018. He stands at Sl. No.5 in the combined seniority of High Court Judges on all-India basis..Justice S. Ravindra Bhat was appointed as Judge of the Delhi High Court on July 16, 2004, and was elevated as Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court on May 5, 2019. He stands at Sl. No.12 in the combined seniority of High Court Judges on all-India basis..Justice V. Ramasubramanian was appointed as Judge of the Madras High Court on July 31, 2006 and after serving as Judge, on transfer, in the common High Court for the States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and thereafter in the Telangana High Court, was elevated as Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court on June 22, 2019. He stands at Sl. No.42 in the combined seniority of High Court Judges on all-India basis..Justice Hrishikesh Roy was appointed as Judge of the Gauhati High Court on October 12, 2006, and was elevated as Chief Justice of Kerala High Court on August 8, 2018. He stands at Sl. No.46 in the combined seniority of High Court Judges on all-India basis. In the seniority of Judges hailing from Gauhati High Court, Justice Hrishikesh Roy stands at Sl.No.1.
