The Supreme Court on Thursday recommended Joymalya Bagchi’s elevation, appointing the Calcutta High Court judge to the Supreme Court. The five-member Collegium, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, noted that no Calcutta High Court judge became Chief Justice of India since Justice Altamas Kabir’s retirement on July 18, 2013.
The Collegium also considered that the Calcutta High Court currently has only one representative in the Supreme Court. If the Centre clears the recommendation, Justice Bagchi will serve for over six years in the top court, including a tenure as Chief Justice of India.
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SC Collegium’s Recommendation for Joymalya Bagchi’s Elevation
The Collegium, including Justices B R Gavai, Surya Kant, Abhay S Oka, and Vikram Nath, noted that Justice Joymalya Bagchi ranks 11th in all-India seniority among high court judges. Unanimously, the Collegium recommended his appointment to the Supreme Court, confirming his elevation.
Born on October 3, 1966, Justice Bagchi will become Chief Justice of India after Justice K V Viswanathan retires on May 25, 2031. He will serve until October 2, 2031. Appointed to the Calcutta High Court on June 27, 2011, he was later transferred to the Andhra Pradesh High Court on January 4, 2021.
SC Collegium’s Recommendations for Judicial Appointments
Justice Bagchi was repatriated to the Calcutta High Court on November 8, 2021, and has been serving there since then. With over 13 years of experience as a high court judge, he has gained extensive expertise across various fields of law. The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended Joymalya Bagchi’s elevation to the apex court, and if approved by the government, the Supreme Court will have 33 judges against its sanctioned strength of 34.
In a separate resolution, the Collegium has proposed the appointment of Calcutta High Court judge Justice Harish Tandon as the Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court. This position became vacant following the retirement of Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh on January 19, 2025. The Collegium deemed Justice Tandon fit and suitable for the role and formally recommended his appointment.
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