RM Lodha is next Chief Justice of India

NEW DELHI: Justice RM Lodha has been appointed as the next Chief Justice of India. Justice Lodha, who is examining twin petitions challenging coal block allocations since 1993, including those made during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s stint as coal minister, will take over from CJI P Sathasivam, who is due to retire on April 26.

In a statement on Friday, the law ministry said, “In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha , Judge of the Supreme Court, to be the Chief Justice of India with effect from 27th April, 2014.” According to convention, the senior-most judge in the Supreme Court is appointed as the Chief Justice of India.

Justice Lodha’s term will run for six months. Justice HL Dattu is the next in line to take over as CJI. Son of Justice SK Mal Lodha and a former judge of the Rajasthan High Court, Justice Lodha holds BSc, LLB and LLD degrees. He practised law in the Rajasthan High Court and dealt with all branches of law — constitutional, civil, company, criminal, taxation , labour, etc. He was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on December 17, 2008.