Justice Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale Sworn in as Supreme Court Judge

• 27 Jan 2024

On 25^th January 2024, Justice Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale took the oath of office as a Supreme Court judge, contributing to a total of three Dalit representatives on the Bench.

Key Points

• Seniority Norm: Justice Gavai, one of the Dalit justices, is in line to become the Chief Justice of India based on the seniority norm within the judiciary.
• Judicial Vacancy Resolution: The appointment of Justice Varale reflects the commitment of the court to operate without judicial vacancies despite the increased workload and pending cases.
• Workload Consideration: The Collegium resolution emphasized the need to maintain a full working judge strength, acknowledging the increased workload of judges. The Supreme Court achieved an unprecedented rate of case disposal, handling 52,191 cases in the calendar year 2023.
• Centre's Approval: The Centre approved Justice Varale's appointment on January 24, filling the sole vacancy in the Supreme Court left by the retirement of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul on December 25, 2023.
• Judicial Strength: The sanctioned judicial strength of the Supreme Court is 34 judges, and Justice Varale's appointment ensures a complete roster.
• Previous Role: Justice Varale served as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court before his elevation to the Supreme Court, becoming the only High Court Chief Justice from a Scheduled Caste community.