Supreme Court vacancies: Collegium meeting today to consider names

Several meetings of the Bobde Collegium in the last few weeks had been inconclusive as the judges could not reach a consensus.

The Supreme Court Collegium led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde is meeting on Thursday to consider names to fill the five judicial vacancies in the top court. Normally, the incumbent Chief Justice does not go ahead with Collegium appointments when his successor has been officially named and appointed by the President. The time is used to effect a smooth transition. Justice N.V. Ramana, the seniormost judge of the Supreme Court, has already been appointed by the President on April 6 to take over as the Chief Justice of India effective from April 24. Chief Justice Bobde is retiring on April 23 and, probably, does not want to end his tenure without making a single appointment to the Supreme Court. During the last year, the court has strived to function without missing a day through the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.