Chief Justice of India BR Gavai administers the oath to three new Supreme Court judges, restoring the court to its full strength of 34, as Justice Bela M Trivedi’s retirement looms on June 9.
New Delhi: On May 30, 2025, Chief Justice of India BR Gavai swore in Justices NV Anjaria, Vijay Bishnoi, and AS Chandurkar as Supreme Court judges, filling vacancies left by the retirements of former CJI Sanjiv Khanna, and Justices Abhay S Oka and Hrishikesh Roy. The appointments, recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium on May 26 and approved by the President on May 29, bring the court to its sanctioned strength of 34 judges.
Justice NV Anjaria: A Legacy of Judicial Heritage
Justice NV Anjaria, born on March 23, 1965, in Ahmedabad, hails from a family of lawyers and judges in Mandvi-Kutch, Gujarat, with his father also having served in the judiciary. He graduated from HL College of Commerce, earned his LL.B. from Sir LA Shah Law College in 1988, and a Master’s in Law from the University School of Law, Ahmedabad, in 1989. Enrolled asa an advocate in 1988, Anjaria practiced at the Gujarat High Court, specializing in constitutional, civil, labor, and service matters. Elevated as an additional judge of the Gujarat High Court in 2011, he became a permanent judge in 2013 and served as Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court since February 2024. Known for emphasizing legal awareness among children and delivering key POCSO Act judgments, he will serve until March 23, 2030.
Justice Vijay Bishnoi: Champion of Women’s Rights
Born on March 26, 1964, in Jodhpur, Justice Vijay Bishnoi enrolled as an advocate in 1989, practicing at the Rajasthan High Court and Central Administrative Tribunal in Jodhpur across civil, criminal, constitutional, and election cases. Appointed an additional judge of the Rajasthan High Court in 2013 and a permanent judge in 2015, he became Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court in February 2024. Bishnoi, who took his oath in Hindi, has made landmark rulings on women’s rights, including affirming married daughters’ rights to government jobs via compassionate appointments and absolute ownership of ‘Stridhan’ during marriage. He also expedited case backlogs in the Northeast, earning praise for judicial efficiency. His term lasts until March 25, 2029.
Justice AS Chandurkar: A Steady Rise from Bombay High Court
Justice AS Chandurkar, born on April 7, 1965, completed his schooling at St Vincent’s High School, Pune, and graduated from Ness Wadia College and ILS Law College, Pune. Joining the Bar in 1988, he began practicing in Mumbai under Senior Advocate BN Naik before shifting to Nagpur in 1992, where he handled diverse cases. Elevated as an additional judge of the Bombay High Court in 2013, Chandurkar is noted for meticulous legal reasoning. His appointment supersedes senior judges like Justice Nitin Madhukar Jamdar, sparking debate over the Collegium’s lack of transparency on seniority overrides. Chandurkar, enhancing Bombay High Court representation, will serve until April 7, 2030.
A Step Toward Judicial Balance Amid Concerns
The appointments, announced by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on May 29, address regional representation, with Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Bombay High Courts gaining voices on the Supreme Court bench. However, the Collegium’s decision to bypass senior judges like Justices Jamdar and Shriram Kalpathi Rajendran, ranked higher in all-India seniority, has drawn criticism for lack of clarity, as noted in a May 26 report by The Leaflet. Additionally, the absence of women judges in this batch—despite Justice Bela M Trivedi’s upcoming retirement—raises concerns, with Justice BV Nagarathna remaining the sole woman judge. At 80,194 pending cases as of March 2024, per Outlook India, the new judges face a daunting task to reduce the backlog.
Public Sentiment and Future Implications
Posts on X reflect mixed reactions, with users like @barandbench lauding the swift appointments, while others question the Collegium’s selection criteria, particularly on gender diversity. The Supreme Court’s return to full strength is a temporary reprieve, as Trivedi’s exit will create a vacancy, followed by Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia’s retirement on August 9 and CJI Gavai’s on November 23. Legal experts emphasize that the new judges’ diverse expertise—Anjaria’s constitutional focus, Bishnoi’s efficiency, and Chandurkar’s meticulousness—could strengthen the court’s role in addressing digital-era rights and social justice issues.
