Two judges appointed to SC, top court set to regain full strength of 34

Once they take oath early next week, the Supreme Court will regain its sanctioned strength of 34 judges

The Supreme Court is all set to get two new judges, including a future Chief Justice of India, as the Centre on Saturday approved the recommendations for elevation of Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and the Gujarat High Court judge Justice Jamshed Burjor Pardiwala to the top court.

The Law and Justice Ministry issued the notification stating that the President has appointed both the judges from the date they assume the charge.

With the development, the top court would function with its sanctioned strength of 34 judges.

Of the two new judges, Justice Pardiwala would go on to become the CJI for over two years after Justice B V Nagarathna.

The Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India N V Ramana and comprising Justices U U Lalit, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and L Nageswara Rao has made the recommendations of the two names on May 5.

Justice Dhulia, who hailed from Pauri Garhwal District of Uttarakhand, would have a tenure of a little over three years in the top court. He is elder brother of national award winning film director and actor Tigmanshu Dhulia.

Justice Dhulia had his early education in Dehradun and Allahabad. He joined the Bar at Allahabad High Court in 1986. He was elevated as the Judge of High Court of Uttarakhand in November 2008.

Justice Pardiwla, who hailed from Valsad (South Gujarat), started practicing Law in the High Court of Gujarat in the year 1990. He was elevated to the Bench on February 17, 2011.