Supreme Court News: Justice Lalit has been a part of several landmark judgments of the apex court since then. A five-judge constitution bench had in August 2017 declared ‘triple talaq’ unconstitutional by a 3-2 majority. Justice Lalit was also among those three judges.
Supreme Court News: Honorable Chief Justice of India NV Raman has recommended the name of Justice Uday Umesh Lalit for the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on Thursday. He has made this recommendation to the Minister of Law and Justice for his successor. Shri Justice Raman personally handed over a copy of the recommendation letter to Justice Lalit today (August 04, 2022).
Significantly, the term of Chief Justice Raman ends on August 26. In such a situation, the central government had asked CJI Raman to decide about his successor, who he wants to see as the next CJI. On Wednesday, Chief Justice Raman was asked by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice about the new successor. However, on the basis of seniority, Justice Uday Umesh comes after Lalit Raman. That is why the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, NV Raman, suggested the name of Justice Umesh Lalit today.
Chief Justice NV Raman became the 48th Chief Justice of the country on 24 April 2021. He had replaced Justice SA Bobde. On Wednesday, the Secretariat of the Chief Justice of India was approached by the Ministry of Law and Justice. It requested that he suggest the name of his successor.
How is the process of choosing the Chief Justice
As per the rules regarding the selection of CJI, the Chief Justice forwards the name of the senior most judge as his successor. At present, the senior most judge after Raman is Uday Umesh Lalit. The appointment of judges to the Higher Judiciary is decided under the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP). According to this MoP, the Chief Justice, who has completed his tenure, starts the process of choosing his successor after communication in this regard with the Law Ministry.
Who is Justice Uday Umesh Lalit?
The current Chief Justice has recommended the name of Justice Lalit to the Law Ministry to choose the Chief Justice. His name is also appropriate according to the rules, Because he is the senior most after Chief Justice Raman. Now get to know about them. Lalit was born on 9 November 1957. From 1983 he started advocacy. In December 1985, he practiced advocacy in the Bombay High Court. Then came to Delhi. In 2004, he was nominated as a senior advocate of the Supreme Court. He has also heard 2G cases. He was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court on 13 August 2014. He will retire on November 8 this year. Justice Lalit, the second senior-most judge of the Supreme Court in line to become the next Chief Justice of India (CJI), has been a part of several landmark judgments, including outlawing the practice of ‘triple talaq’ among Muslims. If he is appointed as the next Chief Justice, he will be the second Chief Justice, Those who were promoted directly from the bar to the bench of the apex court. Before him, Justice SM Sikri was the first lawyer to be directly elevated to the bench of the apex court in March 1964. He became the 13th CJI in January 1971.
Know what were some important decisions of Justice Lalit?
- Justice Lalit is in line to become the 49th CJI of India on August 27, a day after the incumbent Chief Justice NV Ramana retires. Justice Lalit has since been a part of several landmark judgments of the apex court. A five-judge constitution bench had in August 2017 declared ‘triple talaq’ unconstitutional by a 3-2 majority. Justice Lalit was also among those three judges.
- A bench headed by Justice Lalit had set aside the controversial judgment of the Bombay High Court on ‘skin-to-skin contact’ in a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. The top court had said that the most important component of sexual assault is sexual intent, not skin-to-skin contact of children.
- In another important judgment, a bench headed by Justice Lalit had held that the erstwhile royal family of Travancore has the right to manage the historic Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala. Born on November 9, 1957, Justice Lalit had registered as an advocate in June 1983 and practiced in the Bombay High Court till December 1985. He moved to Delhi in January 1986 and started practicing law and in April 2004 he was designated as a Senior Advocate by the Apex Court. He was appointed as the Special Public Prosecutor of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to hear the 2G spectrum allocation case.
