Justice BV Nagarathna, who is in line to make history as the first woman Chief Justice of India (CJI), will formally enter the Supreme Court Collegium on May 25 following the retirement of Justice Abhay S Oka. With this transition, she becomes one of the five seniormost judges of the apex court responsible for key decisions on judicial appointments and transfers across the country.
The reconstituted Collegium will now comprise Chief Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, J K Maheshwari, and BV Nagarathna. Sources within the top court indicate that CJI Gavai is expected to convene his first Collegium meeting on Monday, with a packed agenda including filling three vacancies in the Supreme Court and addressing crucial appointments in various high courts.
Justice Nagarathna’s elevation to the Collegium is a significant step toward her eventual appointment as the Chief Justice of India. She is slated to assume the top judicial post on September 23, 2027, and serve until her retirement on October 29, 2027.
Born on October 30, 1962, Justice Nagarathna is the daughter of former CJI E S Venkataramiah. She began her legal career after enrolling as an advocate in Bengaluru on October 28, 1987, and went on to practice in areas including constitutional law, commerce, insurance, and service matters. Her judicial journey began with her appointment as an Additional Judge of the Karnataka High Court in February 2008, and she was made a permanent judge in February 2010.
Her inclusion in the Collegium marks a historic moment not only for gender representation in India’s judiciary but also for the trajectory of reforms and transparency within the judicial appointments system. The Collegium, established in 1993 through a landmark Supreme Court verdict, plays a pivotal role in the selection and transfer of judges to the Supreme Court and 25 high courts across the country. While the government has a say in returning recommendations, reiterations by the Collegium are generally honored—though not without exceptions.
