The Chief Justice of India U.U Lalit on Tuesday recommended Justice D.Y. Chandrachud’s name as his successor to the Centre in accordance with the convention. Justice Chandrachud is to become the 50th CJI and will assume office on 9 November. Once appointed he will have a tenure till 10 November 2024.
The Union Law Ministry had last week initiated the process for the appointment of the next CJI, asking the outgoing CJI to recommend his successor. On Tuesday, CJI Lalit requested all judges to assemble in the judge’s lounge at 10.15 AM as he handed over the letter, naming his successor.
Justice Lalit succeeded Justice N.V. Ramana, who retired on 26 August. CJI Lalit had a brief tenure of 74 days as the head of India’s judiciary and would demit office on 8 November.
According to the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP), which governs the process of appointment of judges in the higher judiciary, the outgoing CJI initiates the process of naming the successor after getting a communication from the Law ministry. The MoP states that the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court is considered fit to hold the office of the CJI and the views of the outgoing head of the judiciary have to be sought at the appropriate time.
The MoP, however, does not specify the time limit for the initiation of the process of recommending the name of the successor CJI. Justice Chandrachud is the second most senior judge of the Supreme Court.
Justice Chandrachud’s father Justice YV Chandrachud was the 16th Chief Justice of India serving from 2 February 1978 to 11 July 1985.
