The Supreme Court collegium on Tuesday recommended Andhra Pradesh Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and senior advocate K.V. Viswanathan for appointment as apex court judges.

Viswanathan, who was additional solicitor-general under UPA-II, will be in line to become Chief Justice of India following Justice J.B. Pardiwala’s retirement on August 11, 2030.

If the government clears the recommendations, the apex court will be at its full strength of 34 judges. However, four judges — Justices K.M. Joseph, Ajay Rastogi, Krishna Murari and V. Ramasubramanian — are due to retire by July second week, and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Ravindra Bhat later this year.

The collegium said it took into consideration, among other factors, the “need to ensure diversity and inclusion in the Supreme Court”.

It considered: “(i) representation of high courts which are not represented or are inadequately represented...; (ii) appointment of persons from marginalised and backward segments of society; (iii) gender diversity; and (iv) representation of minorities.”