In a major addition to the judicial bench of the highest court, three newly appointed judges formally assumed office on 6 October. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant administered the oath of office to the trio during a ceremony held at the auditorium located within the new Supreme Court building in New Delhi. With these inductions, the functional strength of judges in the apex court has risen to 37.
The Oath Ceremony and Appointees
The event witnessed the presence of sitting Supreme Court judges alongside judicial officers and officials representing various High Courts across the country. The newly sworn-in bench members include Justice Sunita Agarwal, who was serving as Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court. Joining her on the bench are Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, previously Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, and Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, who served as Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court.
Collegium Recommendation and Sanctioned Strength
The elevation followed recommendations finalized by the Supreme Court collegium on 28 September proposing the promotion of the three High Court Chief Justices. Following the collegium's proposal, the Central government officially notified their appointments, clearing the way for the swearing-in. Against a total sanctioned strength of 38 judges in the Supreme Court, the latest inductions leave only one vacancy remaining on the bench.
