Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, the chief justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, on Thursday became the first judge from Manipur to be elevated to the Supreme Court.

Justice Singh and Justice R. Mahadevan, who belongs to a backward community, were sworn in as judges of the apex court at a function on Thursday. Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud administered the oath of office to the two new judges. The new appointments took the total number of judges at the top court to its full sanctioned strength of 34.

Justice Singh, who hails from Manipur, was appointed as a judge of Gauhati High Court on October 17, 2011. After the formation of Manipur High Court, he was transferred there. On February 15, 2023, he was appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. He is due to retire on February 28, 2025.

However, with his elevation to the Supreme Court, his retirement will now take place only on February 28, 2028, as the age of superannuation of Supreme Court judges is 65, unlike that of high court judges who demit office at the age of 62.

“His appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court will provide representation to the NorthEast, and in particular he will be the first Judge from the State of Manipur to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court. Justice N. Kotiswar Singh has an impeccable record, both in judicial capacity and in terms of the work which has been rendered by him on the administrative side, as the Chief Justice of the High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Considering the candidature of Justice N. Kotiswar Singh in terms of his judicial performance, administrative acumen, integrity and merit, the Collegium is of the view that he is eminently suitable for being appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court,” the Supreme Court collegium had said in a resolution adopted on July 11 while recommending to the central government Justice Singh’s elevation.

The other judge, Justice Mahadevan, was the acting chief justice of Madras High Court before his elevation to the Supreme Court.

“Being conversant with the work of Justice Mahadevan on the judicial side and as a senior judge of the high court, the Collegium is of the view that he is eminently suitable for appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court. Justice Mahadevan belongs to a backward community from the state of Tamil Nadu. His appointment will bring diversity to the Bench,” the five-member collegium resolution dated July 11 had said.

“The Collegium has taken due note of the fact that Justice R. Mahadevan ranks third in the order of presently serving judges of the Madras High Court including the judges who have been posted as Chief Justices outside the Madras High Court. At this stage, the Collegium has given precedence to the candidature of Justice R. Mahadevan in order to give representation to the backward community,” the joint resolution signed by the Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court — Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice B.R Gavai, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hrishikesh Roy — had observed.