Justice Nagarathna will remain a member of the Collegium until she retires as the Chief Justice of India on October 29, 2027. This makes her a key figure in the process of judicial appointments and transfers in the coming years.
New Delhi: Justice BV Nagarathna, who is in line to become the first woman Chief Justice of India, will soon join the Supreme Court Collegium. She is currently the fifth most senior judge in the Supreme Court and will officially become part of the Collegium on May 25, 2025, following the retirement of Justice Abhay S Oka.
Justice Nagarathna will remain a member of the Collegium until she retires as the Chief Justice of India on October 29, 2027. This makes her a key figure in the process of judicial appointments and transfers in the coming years.
The Supreme Court Collegium is a group of the five most senior judges of the apex court. This body plays a crucial role in recommending the names of judges for appointment, transfer, or promotion to both the Supreme Court and the 25 High Courts across India. The Collegium system was introduced through a Supreme Court judgment in 1993.
Under this system, the Central Government can return a recommendation once.
However, “if the Collegium reiterates the recommendation,” it is usually accepted.
That said, there have also been “cases when the government has returned the file again or has not responded to the recommendations.”
ALSO READ: MP Birla Group Leadership Case | Justice BV Nagarathna Recuses Herself.
With Justice Oka’s exit, the newly reconstituted Collegium will now include:
- Chief Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai
- Justice Surya Kant
- Justice Vikram Nath
- Justice J K Maheshwari
- Justice BV Nagarathna
Sources in the apex court have said, “CJI Gavai is likely to convene his inaugural collegium meeting on Monday to address vacancies in the top court and make crucial appointments in several high courts.”
After Justice Oka’s retirement, three vacancies will remain in the Supreme Court.
Born on October 30, 1962, Justice Nagarathna is the daughter of former Chief Justice of India E S Venkataramiah. She began her legal journey by enrolling as an advocate in Bengaluru on October 28, 1987.
She practiced in important areas of law including:
- Constitutional law
- Commercial law
- Insurance
- Service law
On February 18, 2008, she was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Karnataka High Court. Two years later, on February 17, 2010, she became a permanent judge of the same court.
Justice Nagarathna was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2021, and she is expected to serve as a judge of the apex court till October 29, 2027. After September 23, 2027, she is likely to become the Chief Justice of India, making history as the first woman ever to hold this prestigious position. Her tenure as CJI, though brief, will mark a milestone in Indian judicial history.
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
