CJI S A Bobde calls collegium meet

There has been a convention that the Chief Justice of India recommends the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court as his successor and following this convention, CJI S A Bobde recommended the name of Justice N V Ramana as his successor. As a result of which President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Justice N V Ramana, the most senior judge as CJI-designate with effect from 24th April 2021. During the tenure of CJI S A Bobde, many collegium meetings were held among the CJI and other member judges to fill the five vacancies for SC judges post created after the retirement of CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justices Deepak Gupta, R. Banumathi, Arun Mishra, and Indu Malhotra, but due to difference in opinions, not a single appointment was made to the Supreme Court.

On 8th April 2021, the incumbent CJI S. A. Bobde called a meeting of the Supreme Court Collegium to discuss appointment to the apex court. This decision of CJI Bobde for holding collegium meeting is termed as “unprecedented decision” as it against the practiced convention that “once the President appoints CJI-designate, then all the files get routed through the next CJI and the incumbent CJI is prevented from holding any Collegium meetings for the purpose of appointment of SC and HC judges and Chief Justices of HCs or transfer of HC judges.” It has raised a doubt whether the recommendations, if at all made, by the Collegium for appointment of persons as SC judges would be honoured by the Union Government.