The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the appointment of Calcutta High Court judge, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, as a judge of the Supreme Court. The five-member Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, made the recommendation after deliberating on eligible High Court judges based on merit, integrity, and competence.
In its resolution dated 6 March 2025, the Collegium stated, “After carefully evaluating merit, integrity and competence and also accommodating a plurality of considerations, the Collegium has recommended appointment of Mr. Justice Joymalya Bagchi, presently a Judge of the High Court at Calcutta, as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India.”
The Collegium, also comprising Justices B.R. Gavai, Surya Kant, Abhay S. Oka, and Vikram Nath, noted that the Calcutta High Court has had no representation at the top judicial position since Justice Altamas Kabir’s retirement as Chief Justice of India on 18 July 2013. Currently, only one judge from the Calcutta High Court serves on the Supreme Court bench.
Justice Joymalya Bagchi, born on 3 October 1966, was appointed as a judge of the Calcutta High Court on 27 June 2011. He was later transferred to the Andhra Pradesh High Court on 4 January 2021 but was repatriated to the Calcutta High Court on 8 November 2021, where he continues to serve. Over his tenure of more than 13 years, he has gained extensive experience in various fields of law.
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About Justice Joymalya Bagchi
Born on 3 October 1966, Justice Joymalya Bagchi completed his schooling at Calcutta Boys’ School before pursuing a five-year LLB course at Calcutta University. A distinguished student, he secured the first position in all LLB examinations, graduating in 1991. He enrolled as an advocate on 28 November 1991 and began his legal practice at the Calcutta High Court the same year, as per the official website of Calcutta High Court.
Throughout his career, Justice Bagchi has handled several significant cases in criminal and constitutional law, including death sentence and clemency matters, appearing before the Calcutta High Court, other High Courts, and the Supreme Court of India. He successfully argued before a Special Bench of the Calcutta High Court against the West Bengal government’s ban on Dwikhondito, a book authored by Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen.
Actively engaged in public interest litigations, he has represented human rights organisations, advocating for civil liberties and environmental protection. His legal expertise led to his empanelment as an advocate for the Union of India, the State of West Bengal, and various corporations, including Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Kolkata Port Trust, and Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation.
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The SC resolution further highlighted that Justice Bagchi holds the 11th position in the combined all-India seniority list of High Court judges, including Chief Justices. If the Centre approves the recommendation, he will have a tenure of over six years in the Supreme Court before assuming the office of Chief Justice of India upon Justice K.V. Viswanathan’s retirement on 25 May 2031. Justice Bagchi will serve as Chief Justice of India until his retirement on 2 October 2031.
With his appointment, the Supreme Court will have 33 judges against its sanctioned strength of 34. The Collegium’s resolution affirmed, “The Collegium has, therefore, unanimously resolved to recommend that Mr. Justice Joymalya Bagchi be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India.”
