Supreme Court collegium recommends Justices N Kotiswar Singh, R Mahadevan for elevation as apex court judges

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The Supreme Court collegium, chaired by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, has recommended the elevation of two high court judges, N Kotiswar Singh and R Mahadevan, to the Supreme Court. The recommendation was submitted to the Centre on Thursday.

Justice N Kotiswar Singh, who is currently serving as the Chief Justice of the High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, and Justice R Mahadevan, the Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, were chosen based on their judicial performance, administrative capabilities, and integrity.

The collegium's resolution, published on the Supreme Court's website, details the order of seniority for their appointments, with Justice N Kotiswar Singh being recommended first, followed by Justice R Mahadevan.

Currently, the Supreme Court has 32 judges out of a sanctioned strength of 34, including the Chief Justice.

About Justice N Kotiswar Singh

Justice N Kotiswar Singh, originally from Manipur, began his judicial career as a judge of the Gauhati High Court on October 17, 2011. He was later transferred to the Manipur High Court following its formation and subsequently appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on February 15 of last year.

The collegium while recommending his elevation, highlighted that Justice Singh would be the first judge from Manipur to be appointed to the Supreme Court, providing significant representation to the North-East. They noted his impeccable record in both judicial and administrative roles, affirming his suitability for the Supreme Court.

About Justice R Mahadevan

Justice R Mahadevan, serving as the Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, was also recommended due to his extensive judicial experience and contributions, the collegium noted. They said that his appointment would bring much-needed diversity to the Supreme Court bench, as he belongs to a backward community from Tamil Nadu.

Moreover, the collegium added that despite ranking third among currently serving judges of the Madras High Court, including those posted as chief justices elsewhere, Justice Mahadevan was given precedence to enhance representation for the backward community.