On Thursday, Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana recommended Justice Uday Umesh Lalit as his successor. CJI Ramana’s term ends on August 26.
This came shortly after the Chief Justice of India (CJI) received the official communication recommending the name of his successor from the Ministry of Law and Justice.
The CJI personally gave Justice Lalit a copy of his letter of recommendation. Additionally, he sent it to the Ministry of Law and Justice for their consideration.
CJI Ramana, who took over as the 48th Chief Justice of India on April 24, 2021, from his predecessor Justice SA Bobde, is expected to step down on August 26 after serving for more than 16 months.
The ‘Memorandum of Procedure of Appointment of Supreme Court Judges’ says “appointment to the office of the Chief Justice of India should be of the senior most Judge of the Supreme Court considered fit to hold the office”.
According to the memorandum, the procedure starts with the Union Law Minister asking the departing CJI for his or her recommendation on the upcoming appointment.
The Minister is required to request the CJI’s advice “at the appropriate time.” The memorandum doesn’t provide any information about a specific timeline. See here.
Justice Uday Umesh Lalit was born on November 9, 1957. He was a senior advocate on the Supreme Court before being elevated to the bench on August 13, 2014.
Before being recommended for appointment as a Supreme Court judge by the Bar, he worked as the Special Public Prosecutor for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). His father, Justice UR Lalit, was also a lawyer who later became a Delhi High Court judge.
Among the landmark decisions in which Justice UU Lalit has participated, one that made headlines was on divorce among Muslims.
The practise of “instant triple talaq” was declared illegal and unconstitutional by a five-judge constitution in an August 2017 ruling by a 3-2 majority.
