Supreme Court Collegium’s Judicial Appointments: Mixed Results

• Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud led a Supreme Court Collegium to fill judicial vacancies.
• Despite supporting online free speech and sexual orientation-based dignity, the collegium did not recommend a woman to the top court bench.
• Advocate Saurabh Kirpal, an openly gay advocate, was reiterated for elevation as a judge of the Delhi High Court.
• Collegium recommendations for judges R. John Sathyan and Amitesh Banerjee and Sakya Sen have not progressed.
• The collegium had to recall its September 2022 recommendation to transfer Chief Justice S. Muralidhar to the Madras High Court.
• Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi, cleared by the Centre in July 2024, had a tenure of 15 days.
• Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, T. Raja, was transferred to Rajasthan, but retired from the Madras High Court.