In a significant judiciary appointment, the Central Government has officially approved the elevation of Justice Joymalya Bagchi, a distinguished judge from the Calcutta High Court, to the Supreme Court of India. The announcement was made by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on social media platform ‘X’, where he expressed the President’s pleasure in appointing Justice Bagchi to the apex court.
This decision follows a recommendation by the Supreme Court Collegium last week, which highlighted the absence of a Chief Justice from the Calcutta High Court since Justice Altamas Kabir’s retirement on July 18, 2013. Justice Bagchi, who is currently ranked 11th in the combined all-India seniority of High Court Judges, including Chief Justices, is slated to bring extensive experience and judicial acumen to the Supreme Court.
Justice Bagchi’s elevation is particularly noteworthy as he is poised to become the Chief Justice of India following the retirement of Justice K.V. Viswanathan on May 25, 2031. He is expected to serve in this prestigious role until his own retirement on October 2, 2031. This appointment marks a significant milestone, considering the historical representation of the Calcutta High Court in the nation’s highest judicial echelons.
Currently, the Supreme Court bench includes only one other judge from the High Court at Calcutta, underscoring the strategic importance of Justice Bagchi’s appointment. His upcoming tenure in the Supreme Court, which now has just one vacancy remaining out of a sanctioned strength of 34 judges, is anticipated to strengthen judicial perspectives from the eastern region of India.
