Supreme Court Collegium Recommends Elevation Of Calcutta High Court Judge To Supreme Court
The Supreme Court Collegium resolved to recommend the elevation of Justice Joymalya Bagchi from the Calcutta High Court to the Supreme Court.
Justice Bagchi's appointment to the highest court of the land will mark the beginning of a significantly long tenure, with him set to take over as the Chief Justice of India (CJI) in May 2031, following the retirement of Justice KV Viswanathan. However, his term as CJI will be relatively brief, as he will retire in October 2031.
The resolution dated March 6, 2025 read, “After carefully evaluating merit, integrity and competence and also accommodating a plurality of considerations, the Collegium has recommended appointment of Mr. Justice Joymalya Bagchi, presently a Judge of the High Court at Calcutta, as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India.”
Justice Bagchi will make history as the first Chief Justice of India from Calcutta since the late Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, who retired in 2013. The Collegium's recommendation also took into consideration Justice Bagchi's position as the eleventh-ranked judge in the all-India seniority list of High Court judges. This list includes both Chief Justices and other High Court judges, reflecting his standing within the judicial community.
Justice Bagchi has had an extensive judicial career, having been appointed as a judge of the Calcutta High Court on June 27, 2011. He was transferred to the Andhra Pradesh High Court on January 4, 2021, and later repatriated back to the Calcutta High Court on November 8, 2021, where he has been serving since. With over 13 years of experience as a High Court judge, he has gained substantial expertise in a broad array of legal areas. The Collegium praised his vast experience, noting that he has developed significant proficiency in diverse fields of law throughout his tenure.
