Centre notifies appointment of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, Justice JB Pardiwala as Supreme Court judges

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, May 7

The Government on Saturday notified the appointments of Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Gujarat High Court judge Justice JB Pardiwala as judges of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court Collegium led by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana had recommended their names for elevation to the top court earlier this week.

Justice Pardiwala is likely to become the CJI having a tenure of three years, if the line of succession is not disturbed.

The newly appointed judges are expected to take oath on Monday, sources said.

With these appointments, the working strength of the Supreme Court will reach 34 which is its sanctioned strength. Six more judges, including CJI NV Ramana and his successor Justice UU Lalit, are due to retire later this year.

Born on August 10, 1960, Justice Dhulia joined the Bar at the Allahabad High Court in 1986 and shifted to his home state Uttarakhand on its formation in 2000.

He was the first Chief Standing Counsel in the Uttarakhand High Court and was later an Additional Advocate General for Uttarakhand. He was designated a Senior Advocate in 2004. He was elevated as the judge of Uttarakhand High Court in November 2008 and became the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court on January 10, 2021.

Born on August 12, 1965, Justice Pardiwala started his law practice in 1989 and was appointed Standing Counsel for the Gujarat High Court and its subordinate courts in 2002 and continued as such till his elevation to the Bench. He was elevated as an additional judge of the Gujarat High Court on February 17, 2011, and confirmed as permanent judge on January 28, 2013.