Justice Sarosh Home Kapadia, the seniormost judge of the Supreme Court, has been appointed the next chief justice of India (CJI). Kapadia, who will take over from chief justice KG Balakrishnan on May 12, is renowned for his expertise in matters of taxation, banking, industrial, and labour laws.
Balakrishnan had recommended to president Pratibha Patil that she appoint justice Kapadia, 62, as his successor, and the president signed the ‘warrants for appointment’ and sent it the apex court on Friday.
Kapadia hails from Maharashtra and started his legal practice in Bombay. In 1974, justice Kapadia was counsel for the income tax department. He also appeared for the then Bombay Municipal Corporation in matters concerning rateable value and octroi.
In October 1991, Kapadia was appointed an additional judge at the Bombay high court, becoming permanent in March 1993. Later, in 1999, as a judge presiding over a special court, justice Kapadia dealt with civil and criminal matters, including corroborative value to be given to a report submitted by the Reserve Bank of India and a JPC (joint parliamentary committee) vis-a-vis the Evidence Act.
As a judge of the special court, he also dealt with accounts and finances of banks and financial institutions as also accounts of the share and stockbrokers and under Contempt of Courts Act where the notified parties had diverted their assets.
One of the most important cases that chief justice-designate Kapadia will decide will be whether or not to bring the office of chief justice under the Right to Information Act. Chief Justice Balakrishnan is opposed to this move but the decision will come up during Kapadia’s tenure. He will retire on September 29, 2012.
In another development, justice Gyan Sudha Mishra was appointed judge of the apex court. She is only the fourth woman to adorn the apex curt bench.
Sources indicate that another woman judge could be appointed to the Supreme Court shortly. With justice Mishra’s elevation, the strength of SC is now 30 judges, including the Chief Justice of India.
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