Justice Vinod Chandran takes oath as Supreme Court judge

New Delhi: Former Patna High Court chief justice K Vinod Chandran on Thursday took oath as a judge of the Supreme Court.

Earlier this week, the Centre had cleared his promotion, less than a week after the Supreme Court collegium recommended his elevation to the top court. "In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President, after consultation with Chief Justice of India, is pleased to appoint Shri justice Krishnan Vinod Chandran, chief justice, Patna High Court as a judge of the Supreme Court of India," Union minister of state (independent charge) for law and justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said in a tweet on January 14.

On January 7, the Supreme court collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, had recommended the elevation of justice Chandran to the top Court.


Justice Chandran, whose parent high court is the Kerala High Court, was appointed as a judge of that high court on November 8, 2011. He was elevated as the chief justice of Patna High Court on March 23, 2023, and has been functioning as the chief justice of that high court since then.

With his appointment, the apex court will have 33 judges, just one short of its full strength of 34, until January 31 when justice Hrishikesh Roy will be demitting office.

Recommending justice Chandran's elevation to the top court, the Supreme Court collegium factored in justice Chandran's all-India seniority as well as the fact that Kerala high court has no representation in the Supreme Court at present.