CJI administers oath of office to Justice Manmohan as SC judge

On 05 Dec 2024 12:13:44

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Thursday administered oath of office to Delhi High Court Chief Justice Manmohan as a judge of the Supreme Court.

With the swearing-in of Justice Manmohan, the working strength of the apex court has risen to 33 against the sanctioned 34 judges, including the CJI. Justice Manmohan, 61, was administered oath of office during a swearing-in ceremony held in the apex court.

The Supreme Court collegium had on November 28 recommended the elevation of Justice Manmohan to the top court. On December 3, Justice Manmohan was appointed as a judge of the apex court.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Manmohan, Chief Justice, High Court of Delhi, to be a Judge of the Supreme Court of India, with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office," read the official notification.

Justice Manmohan stood at serial number two in the combined all-India seniority of high court judges and he was the senior-most judge in the High Court of Delhi.

"While recommending his name, the collegium has taken into consideration the fact that, at present, the bench of Supreme Court is represented by only one judge from the High Court of Delhi," read the apex court Collegium statement proposing his name.

Justice Manmohan was appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court on March 13, 2008, and was functioning as its chief justice since September 29, 2024.

He was appointed as the acting chief justice of the Delhi High Court on November 9, 2023. He enrolled as an advocate in 1987 after obtaining a law degree from Campus Law Centre, Delhi University.

Justice Manmohan is the son of late Jagmohan, a famous bureaucrat-turned politician who also served as the Governor of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.

The retirement age of Supreme Court judges is 65 years, while high court judges demit office at 62.