Centre Approves Appointment of Justice Manmohan as Supreme Court Judge
The Centre has approved the appointment of Justice Manmohan, Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, as a judge of the Supreme Court of India. This appointment fills vacancies left by former judges and enhances the representation of the Delhi High Court in the Supreme Court.
New Delhi: The Centre has officially notified the appointment of Justice Manmohan, Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, as a judge of the Supreme Court of India. This decision was made in accordance with the Constitution of India, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India. The announcement was made public by Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Minister of State for Law and Justice, via a post on X.
Justice Manmohan’s elevation to the Supreme Court will raise the working strength of the top court to 33 judges, just one short of the sanctioned strength of 34, which includes the Chief Justice of India. The Supreme Court collegium had earlier recommended Justice Manmohan for the position on November 28, 2024. His appointment fills the vacancies left by the retirements of Justice Hima Kohli and former Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.
Justice Manmohan, who has had a distinguished legal career, was appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court on March 13, 2008, and has served as its Chief Justice since September 29, 2024. Prior to this, he was made the acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court on November 9, 2023. He is highly regarded in the legal community, standing second in the all-India seniority list of High Court judges and is the senior-most judge in the Delhi High Court.
The Supreme Court collegium, in its statement, noted that the appointment would help address the representation gap from the Delhi High Court, as the current bench of the Supreme Court includes only one judge from Delhi. Justice Manmohan’s elevation ensures better representation and contributes to a more balanced judiciary.
A graduate of the prestigious Campus Law Centre at Delhi University, Justice Manmohan began his career as an advocate in 1987. His father, the late Jagmohan, was a prominent bureaucrat-turned-politician, having served as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.
Justice Manmohan’s appointment comes at a time when the Supreme Court is preparing for a possible increase in the number of cases being heard, as it now has a full complement of judges once he takes his oath.
The retirement age for Supreme Court judges is 65 years, while High Court judges retire at 62. This appointment strengthens the judicial framework of the Supreme Court as it continues to address the legal needs of the nation.
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