ON FRIDAY, CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA (‘CJI’) B.R. Gavai administered the oath of office to Justices Alok Aradhe and Vipul Pancholi as judges of the Supreme Court of India.
The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by CJI Gavai and comprising Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, J.K. Maheshwari and B.V. Nagarathna, recommended these appointments by a 4:1 majority, with Justice Nagarathna dissenting strongly against Justice Pancholi’s elevation.
According to a Hindustan Times report, Justice Nagarathna argued in her dissent note that Justice Pancholi’s appointment would be “counterproductive” to the administration of justice and could undermine the credibility of the Collegium system.
She noted that if appointed, Justice Pancholi would be in line to become CJI from October, 2031 to May, 2033, serving approximately one year and eight months. In her view, this outcome would not serve the institution’s interests and would exacerbate the concerns she raised.
It has been widely reported that Justice Pancholi’s appointment superseded 56 High Court judges, including 21 Chief Justices. However, the identities of these superseded judges remain largely undisclosed.
