LI Network
Published on: 19 May 2023 at 16:27 IST
Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and senior advocate KV Viswanathan took their oath as judges of the Supreme Court. Their appointments were approved by the Central government a day prior to their swearing-in ceremony.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud administered the oath of office to Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Senior Advocate KV Viswanathan as judges of the Supreme Court on Friday. This appointment increased the strength of the Supreme Court to its sanctioned capacity of 34 judges.
The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended their appointments through a resolution on May 16, and the Central government promptly notified their appointments on May 18.
Senior Advocate KV Viswanathan, born on May 16, 1966, will serve as a judge of the Supreme Court until May 25, 2031. Following the retirement of Justice JB Pardiwala on August 11, 2030, Viswanathan will be in line to assume the position of Chief Justice of India until his retirement on May 25, 2031.
Viswanathan’s appointment makes him the tenth lawyer to be directly appointed to the Supreme Court from the Bar. He will also become the fourth such person to hold the position of Chief Justice of India, following Justices SM Sikri, UU Lalit, and PS Narasimha.
Having spent over 30 years in the legal profession, Viswanathan has worked on several high-profile cases. He previously served as a junior in the chambers of Senior Advocate KK Venugopal, who later became the Attorney General for India. In April 2009, Viswanathan was designated as a Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court.
Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, who was the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, was recommended for elevation to the Supreme Court. He assumed office as the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on October 13, 2021. Prior to that, he served as the Acting Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court and also as a judge of the same High Court.
