Justice NV Ramana recommends name for CJI post: Who is Justice UU Lalit?

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Thursday recommended to the Centre the name for the post of new CJI. Ramana, who heads the Supreme Court Collegium, has forwarded the name of the senior-most SC judge after him, Justice Uday Umesh Lalit. CJI Ramana is retiring on August 26.

Union law minister Kiren Rijiju had written to the CJI urging him to name his successor. If the Centre accepts the recommendation, Justice Lalit will become the second CJI who had been elevated as apex court judge directly from the Bar.

CJI Ramana personally presented a copy of the recommendation letter to Justice UU Lalit.

Justice Ramana, the 48th CJI, became the top judge of the country on April 24, 2021.  

Who is Justice UU Lalit?

Justice UU Lalit hails from Maharashtra. He was a senior advocate in the Supreme Court before he was elevated as its judge. He was a criminal lawyer. His father was also a senior advocate and Delhi High Court judge.

If the Centre accepts CJI Ramana's recommendation, Justice Lalit will become the Chief Justice of India for a period of three months. He is due to retire on November 8, 2022.

In 2019, Justice UU Lalit recused from the Ayodhya case as he had appeared for ex-UP CM Kalyan Singh in a case linked to the Babri Demolition.

Justice Lalit also voted in favour of declaring the Triple Talaq practice unconstitutional.