December 3, 2024: In a significant development, the Government of India on Tuesday officially notified the appointment of Chief Justice Manmohan of the Delhi High Court as a judge of the Supreme Court. This move follows the recommendation made by the Supreme Court Collegium on November 28, 2024.

Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal confirmed the decision in a post on X, stating, "In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Manmohan, Chief Justice of the High Court of Delhi, as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India."

With this elevation, Justice Manmohan, 61, will soon take an oath as a judge of the highest court in the country, bringing the working strength of the Supreme Court to 33. This is one short of the sanctioned strength of 34, which includes the Chief Justice of India.

The two vacancies in the Supreme Court arose following the retirements of Justice Hima Kohli and former CJI D Y Chandrachud. Justice Manmohan's appointment helps address the representation gap in the apex court, particularly given that the Supreme Court has, at present, only one judge from the Delhi High Court.

The Supreme Court Collegium, in its recommendation, highlighted Justice Manmohan's seniority in the judiciary. "Justice Manmohan stands at serial number 2 in the combined all-India seniority of High Court judges and is the senior-most judge in the High Court of Delhi," the statement read.

Born to the late Jagmohan, a renowned bureaucrat-turned-politician, Justice Manmohan has had a distinguished career. He was appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court on March 13, 2008, and became its Chief Justice on September 29, 2024. Prior to that, he served as the acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court from November 9, 2023.

Justice Manmohan has a long and impressive legal career, having enrolled as an advocate in 1987 after obtaining a law degree from the Campus Law Centre at Delhi University. He was appointed as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court in 2008 and made a permanent judge the following year.