In a significant development, Justice
Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale took the oath of office as a Supreme Court judge
on Thursday. The Chief Justice of Bharat, DY Chandrachud, administered the
oath, marking Justice Varale’s elevation to the highest judicial office.
The recommendation for Justice Varale’s
elevation came from the Supreme Court Collegium, and the President released a
notification on January 24 formalizing the appointment. The Collegium,
consisting of CJI Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Surya Kant,
and Aniruddha Bose, recognized Justice Varale’s expertise and unimpeachable
conduct in the legal field.
With this appointment, Justice Varale
becomes the third sitting judge in the Supreme Court from the Dalit community,
joining Justices BR Gavai and CT Ravikumar. His elevation also marks him as the
only Chief Justice belonging to a Scheduled Caste among the Chief Justices of
High Courts across the country.
The Collegium emphasized Justice Varale’s
competence and high professional ethics in its resolution, noting that his
authored judgments covered a wide range of issues across various fields of law.
Before his elevation to the Supreme Court, Justice Varale served as the Chief
Justice of the Karnataka High Court, having been appointed to the post in
October 2022.
Justice Varale’s legal journey includes
over 23 years of practice at the bar, focusing on district and session court
cases and constitutional matters at the High Court Bench at Aurangabad. His
extensive experience and commitment to upholding the rule of law make him a
valuable addition to the Supreme Court Bench.
