CJI Dipak Misra recommends Justice Ranjan Gogoi as next Chief Justice of India

Senior Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjan Gogoi is set to become the next Chief Justice of India (CJI). His name has been recommended for the post by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra to the government.

It is a norm that the prior to his retirement, the Chief Justice of India sends the name of his successor to the government. CJI Dipak Misra is slated to retire on October 2 and as per seniority Justice Gogoi is the next in line.

As per the memorandum of procedure, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had written to the Chief Justice of India last month seeking the name of his successor.

If the recommendation is approved, Justice Gogoi is expected to take oath on October 2. He is slated to retire on November 17, 2019.

Notably, Justice Gogoi was part of four senior Supreme Court judges who had held a press conference earlier this year, raising questions on the functioning of the Supreme Court under CJI Misra. They had questioned the issue of roster of cases and allocation of benches in the top court.

The press conference was addressed by four senior apex court judges – Justice J Chelameswar, Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice MB Lokur, and Justice Kurien Joseph.

Justice Gogoi was appointed a judge in the Gauhati High Court on February 28, 2001. He later became the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on February 12, 2011. Justice Gogoi was elevated to the top court in April 2012.