GUWAHATI: Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Justice H N Kotiswar Singh has become the first from Manipur to become a judge of the Supreme Court.
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Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday said that President Droupadi Mumru has appointed justices Singh and R Mahadevan as judges of the Supreme Court, according to reports.
R Mahadevan is a judge in the Madras High Court.
The apex court will now function at its full strength of 34 judges, once the two are sworn in.
Singh was appointed as the Chief Justice last February. He took the oath of office on February 15, 2023.
His name was recommended by the Collegium led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy unanimously on July 12.
Born on March 1, 1963, in Imphal of Manipur, Justice Singh is the son of Justice N Ibotombi Singh of the Gauhati high court, who served as Manipur’s first Advocate General, and N Gomati Devi.
He practised briefly before the Supreme Court of India before moving to the Gauhati High Court.
Gauhati High Court recognised him as a senior advocate in 2008. He was appointed as an additional judge of the Gauhati High Court in 2011 and elevated to the position of permanent judge in 2012.
Justice Singh was appointed as a judge of the Manipur High Court when it was established in 2013. In 2018, he was transferred to the Gauhati High Court before being promoted to the position of Chief Justice.
Justice Mahadevan has been serving as Acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court since May 2024.
Justice Mahadevan completed his law degree at Madras Law College and enrolled as a lawyer in the year 1989.
He practised on the civil, criminal and writ sides with specialisation in indirect taxes, customs and Central Excise matters for a period of 25 years. He served as Additional Government Pleader (Taxes) for the Government of Tamil Nadu, and Additional Central Government Standing Counsel and Senior Panel Counsel for the Government of India at the Madras High Court, and conducted more than 9,000 cases.
He was elevated as a judge of the Madras High Court in the year 2013.