The President appointed the Chief Justice of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Prashant Kumar Mishra and Senior Advocate KV Viswanathan as judges of the Supreme Court of India and they are scheduled to be sworn in today. The Supreme Court collegium recommended their elevation on May 16, and their appointments have been officially announced by the Central Government within three days. Their addition to the Supreme Court will restore its full strength of 34 judges.

Due to the recent retirements of Justice Dinesh Maheshwari on May 12 and Justice MR Shah on May 15, the current number of judges in the Supreme Court has decreased to 32, while the sanctioned strength remains at 34. This figure includes the chief justice and 33 other judges. Over the next few months, four more judges are expected to retire, resulting in additional vacancies.

About KV Vishwanathan

KV Viswanathan, who is the tenth lawyer to be directly appointed from the Bar to the Supreme Court bench, is anticipated to serve as the Chief Justice of India from August 12, 2030, until May 25, 2031.

About Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra

Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra hails from the Chhattisgarh High Court, where he previously served. He assumed the role of Chief Justice of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh on October 13, 2021. The collegium recommended his appointment, emphasizing the need for representation from the Chhattisgarh High Court in the Supreme Court.