NEW DELHI: A group of judges on Monday met the Chief Justice and raised their objections to Justice Joseph being listed at number three in the government order on the oath ceremony despite his name being the first to be recommended by the Supreme Court collegium.
If two judges are appointed on the same day, the order of their appointment determines their seniority, and so needs to be in accordance with convention.
For two judges being appointed on the same day, the one who has been a high court judge longer will be considered more senior.
With three new judges, the Supreme Court now has 25, still six short of its required strength.
Also, for the first time, there are now three women judges in the Supreme Court -- Justices R Banumathi, Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee.
Opposition echoed the allegations in parliament. Shortly before the oath this morning, Congress leader Kapil Sibal called it a “black day in the history of the court.”