NEW DELHI: On February 13, two new justices, Justices Rajesh Bindal and Aravind Kumar, took the oath of office as Supreme Court justices, taking the working strength of the Aopex Court to its full quorum of 34.

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud administered the oath of the office to the two new judges.

On January 31, the Collegium had made a recommendation for the two judges to be elevated.

In March 2006, Justice Rajesh Bindal was appointed to the Punjab and Haryana High Court as a judge. In October 2021, he was named Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. Justice Bindal is the second-most senior judge of the High Court in the nation in terms of seniority.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Bindal's parent High Court and one of the biggest High Courts, is not sufficiently represented in the Supreme Court, the Collegium had said when suggesting his selection.

Justice Aravind Kumar was confirmed as a permanent judge of the Karnataka High Court in December 2012 after being appointed as an additional judge of the Karnataka High Court in June 2009. In October 2021, he was promoted to Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court.

Justice Kumar is currently the High Court Judge with the 26th-most seniority in all of India. Furthermore, among justices from the Karnataka High Court, Justice Kumar is currently the second-most senior judge.
On February 10, the Central government cleared their names.

On January 31, the Supreme Court collegium told the Union government: five names forwarded over a month ago on December 13 for elevation as judges to the top court shall have precedence over the two names being suggested now.

It is to be noted that The Supreme Court has the power to issue judicial orders if its directives are ignored or breached. It remains to be seen how the highest court of the land will respond to the Centre’s move. 

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