For the first time in history, three women took oath as supreme court judges on Tuesday. Justice Hima Kohli, Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Bela M Trivedi are among the nine new appointees to the Top Court.
With their appointments, the Court has four women judges, the highest ever among 33 judges. So far the Top Court has had only 11 women judges including the new appointments.
The previous high was three women judges from August 2018 to May 2020, with Justice R Banumathi, Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Indu Malhotra.
After this elevation, the Supreme Court is all set to get its first woman Chief Justice with Justice Nagarathna. Daughter of former CJI E S Venkataramiah, she is in line for this post in September 2027.
This was also the first time when nine judges took the oath of office at one time.
The nine new judges who took the oath of office are Justices Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, Vikram Nath, Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari, Hima Kohli, B V Nagarathna, C T Ravikumar, M M Sundresh, Bela M Trivedi and P S Narasimha.
In view of the Covid-19 protocols, the swearing-in ceremony was held in the Top Court’s auditorium and not the CJI’s courtroom where it is traditionally held.
