Justice P. S. Narasimha has officially joined the five-member Supreme Court Collegium, succeeding Justice J. K. Maheshwari, who retired on Sunday. As the fifth senior-most judge of the apex court, Justice Narasimha is slated to remain a member of the influential judicial appointment body until his retirement on May 2, 2028.
With this transition, the newly constituted Collegium now comprises Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Vikram Nath, Justice B. V. Nagarathna, Justice M. M. Sundresh, and Justice Narasimha. Justice Maheshwari demitted office on Sunday, concluding a tenure of nearly five years on the Supreme Court bench.
Under the Collegium system, which was established following a 1993 Supreme Court judgment, the five most senior judges of the apex court recommend the appointment, elevation, and transfer of judges to the Supreme Court and the country’s 25 high courts. While the central government possesses the authority to return recommendations to the panel for reconsideration, it typically approves them if they are reiterated by the Collegium. However, there have been historical instances where the government returned files or left recommendations unanswered.
Educational And Early Legal Career
Born on May 3, 1963, in Hyderabad, Justice Narasimha graduated with triple majors in economics, political science, and public administration from Nizam College, Hyderabad. He subsequently earned his law degree from the Campus Law Centre at Delhi University in 1988.
He enrolled as an advocate that same year, initially practising in the civil courts, tribunals, and high court in Hyderabad before moving his practice to the Supreme Court. Throughout his career as a counsel, he argued numerous cases before the Supreme Court, including matters before Constitution benches.
During his years of practice, he served as the commission counsel for the Justice Chinnappa Reddy Commission and was a member of the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee.
Advocacy And Elevation To The Bench
In 2008, the full court of the Supreme Court designated him as a senior advocate. In this role, he represented parties in public law cases encompassing constitutional, administrative, and environmental issues.
Justice Narasimha was appointed as the Additional Solicitor General of India in 2014. As a law officer, he assisted the Supreme Court in major landmark cases, including the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) case before a Constitution bench. He was also part of a Supreme Court delegation to Canada, where he presented a academic paper addressing extradition and environmental issues.
Justice Narasimha was elevated directly from the Bar to the Supreme Court bench on August 31, 2021.
