Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, who is set to leave his office on October 2, has recommended Justice Ranjan Gogoi’s name to the government of India. The outgoing CJI has to recommend a name 30 days before leaving office.
According to the Memorandum of Procedure, “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”.
After receiving the recommendation, the Law Minister of India places it before the Prime Minister who later advises the President in the matter.
If the recommendation is accepted, President of India Ram Nath Kovind will administer the oath of office to Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
“Whenever there is any doubt about the fitness of the senior-most Judge to hold the office of the Chief Justice of India, consultation with other Judges… would be made for appointment of the next Chief Justice of India,” the document states.
Justice Gogoi, born on November 18, 1954, had joined the Bar in 1978. He was appointed as permanent judge of the Gauhati High Court on February 28, 2001 and later transferred to the Punjab & Haryana High Court on September 9, 2010. He was appointed as Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court on February 12, 2011 and elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court on April 23, 2012.
Justice Gogoi, due to take charge as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court after Justice Dipak Misra retires on 2 October 2018, will have a tenure of 1 year, 1 month and 14 days until he retires on 17 November 2019.
Earlier, India Legal reported that Justice Ranjan Gogoi would take over as the next CJI.
