Justice Joymalya Bagchi to be sworn in as Supreme Court judge on Monday-OxBig News Network

Justice Joymalya Bagchi of the Calcutta High Court will be sworn in as a Supreme Court judge on Monday.

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna will administer the oath of office to Justice Bagchi in the presence of other Supreme Court judges at a ceremony on the top court premises.

The Centre on March 10 notified the appointment of Justice Bagchi as a judge of the Supreme Court.

Currently, the Supreme Court is functioning with 32 judges against its full sanctioned strength of 34 judges, including the CJI. Once Justice Bagchi takes oath of office, the actual strength of the top court would reach 33 judges.

The Supreme Court Collegium led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna had unanimously recommended Justice Joymalya Bagchi for appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court.

Justice Bagchi would be in line to be CJI after the retirement of Justice KV Viswanathan on May 25, 2031. He would have a tenure of more than six years before he assumes the office of the Chief Justice of India, the Collegium resolution stated.

“After the retirement of Justice Altamas Kabir on July 18, 2013 as Chief Justice of India, there has not been any Chief Justice of India from the High Court at Calcutta. On the retirement of Justice K.V. Viswanathan on May 25, 2031, Justice Bagchi would be in line to assume office as the Chief Justice of India till his retirement on October 2, 2031,” it read.

Justice Bagchi was appointed as a Judge of the High Court at Calcutta on June 27, 2011 and transferred to the High Court of Andhra Pradesh on January 4, 2021. He was repatriated to the High Court at Calcutta on November 8, 2021 and has been functioning there since then. He has served as a Judge of the High Court for more than 13 years. During his long tenure as a Judge of the High Court, Justice Bagchi has acquired significant experience in diverse fields of law, the resolution noted.

Justice Joymalya Bagchi stood at Serial No. 11 in the combined all-India seniority of High Court Judges, including Chief Justices.

The Collegium also took into consideration the fact that, at present, the Supreme Court was represented by only one Judge from the High Court at Calcutta.