SC appoints new judge: Who is Justice Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale?

Justice Varale, who is currently the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday

The Ministry of Law and Justice under the central government announced the appointment of Justice Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale as a judge of the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday.

Justice Varale, who is currently the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, was appointed under the powers granted by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Indian Constitution.

The notification by the law ministry stated that the President, in exercising these powers, is pleased to appoint Justice Prasarma Bhalachandra Varale as a Supreme Court Judge, effective from the date he assumes the responsibilities of the office.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Justice Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale, Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, to be a Judge of the Supreme Court of India, with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office," the notification read.

Who is Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale?

Justice Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale was born in Nipani, Karnataka, on June 23, 1962. He graduated in Arts and Law from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University. He became an advocate in 1985.

Justice Varale was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court in July 2008 and was made a permanent judge three years later.

He served as a judge in the Bombay High Court for 14 years until being appointed as Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court in October 2022.

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Being the only Chief Justice among High Courts hailing from the Scheduled Caste, he proudly asserts his birth in a family "blessed by Dr B R Ambedkar."

“I was fortunate to be born in a family that was blessed by Dr B R Ambedkar. I am in this noble institution all because of the great scholar and political thinker. Otherwise, a small person from a remote area (referring to his grandfather) could not have even dreamt of going to Aurangabad, and then his future generations taking up the legal profession and adorning the seat of a judge of the High Court," Varale was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

Justice Varale is well-known for proactively initiating suo moto cases in the public interest.

He has repeatedly held the Maharashtra and Karnataka governments accountable for their actions, frequently calling them into question, reported Mint.

Under his leadership, the Karnataka High Court displayed a commitment to tackling numerous issues by leveraging news reports, conducting challenging inquiries of the administration, and imposing sanctions on officials found to be at fault.