Indu Malhotra takes oath as SC judge, shares bench with CJI

Senior advocate Indu Malhotra, who was today administered the oath of office as a Supreme Court judge, shared the bench with Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and heard matters, including Kathua gangrape and murder case and several PILs.

Justice Malhotra, who became the first woman lawyer to enter the top judiciary directly, was part of the bench which stayed the trial in the sensational Kathua case.

Along with the CJI, she was part of the bench that also comprised Justice D Y Chandrachud.

Besides the Kathua case, this bench also heard mentioning of matters for urgent listing, including Cauvery water dispute and pleas seeking to strike down section 377 of the IPC which criminalises unnatural sex, including carnal intercourse, between consenting adults of same gender.

In the morning, Justice Malhotra was administered the oath of office and secrecy by the CJI during the swearing-in ceremony held in court number one of the apex court.

With Justice Malhotra joining the bench, the strength of the Supreme Court is now 25 as against the sanctioned strength of 31, including the CJI.

Her name was recommended by the collegium for elevation along with that of Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K M Joseph, but the Centre has sought reconsideration of the proposal for the latter.

She became the seventh woman judge in the top court since Independence. Other women judges were elevated to the apex court from high courts.