Madras High Court swears in D. Lingeshwaran and B. Karthikeyan, working strength rises to 68
The Madras High Court swore in D. Lingeshwaran and B. Karthikeyan as Additional Judges. The appointments bring the court's sanctioned strength to 68 judges out of 75, leaving seven vacancies.
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What happened
Key facts
- D. Lingeshwaran was sworn in as an Additional Judge of the Madras High Court (per newstodaynet.com).
- B. Karthikeyan was sworn in as an Additional Judge of the Madras High Court (per newstodaynet.com, lawchakra.in).
- The swearing-in ceremony was held on the High Court premises (per newstodaynet.com, The Hindu, lawchakra.in).
- With the two appointments, the Madras High Court's working strength increased to 68 judges against a sanctioned strength of 75 (per newstodaynet.com).
The brief
The Madras High Court on Wednesday swore in D. Lingeshwaran and B. Karthikeyan as Additional Judges, the court announced in a swearing-in ceremony held on its premises.
Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari administered the oath to both appointees, and the ceremony was attended by sitting judges, advocates representing the Central and State governments, office-bearers of the Bar Council of India and the Bar Councils of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and representatives of various advocates' associations, according to Newstodaynet.com.
Newstodaynet.com reported that the two appointments raise the Madras High Court's working strength to 68 judges against a sanctioned total of 75, reducing the number of vacancies to seven. The outlet described the appointments as Additional Judges and noted they were made in accordance with constitutional provisions.
LawChakra's headline and the United News of India headline likewise stated that two additional judges were sworn in, and The Hindu's headline reported a similar development though it gave a working-strength figure of 67 in its headline.
The swearing-in took place on the High Court premises and was attended by a cross-section of the legal community; Newstodaynet.com listed the categories of attendees present at the event. The report did not provide biographical details about D. Lingeshwaran or B.
Karthikeyan, such as prior postings or areas of practice, nor did it include individual statements from the new judges. Newstodaynet.com said the appointments are expected to strengthen the High Court's judicial capacity by filling two seats, bringing the number of vacancies down to seven.
The report identified the court's total sanctioned strength as 75 judges and gave the post-appointment working strength as 68. No further procedural details about the appointments or timelines for conversion from Additional Judge to permanent judge were included in the report.
The available accounts focus on the ceremony, the officials who administered the oath, the attendance by legal bodies, and the change in the court's numerical working strength following the appointments.
Why it matters
- The Madras High Court will have 68 judges on its roster, reducing vacant posts to seven; this changes the specific distribution of judicial capacity within the court.
- The attendance of office-bearers from the Bar Council of India and the Bar Councils of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry signals formal institutional recognition of the appointments by those legal bodies.
- The appointment of two Additional Judges invokes constitutional appointment procedures, a documented mechanism for temporarily increasing the court's bench without immediately conferring permanent status.
What to watch next
- Whether the Madras High Court or the appointing authorities publish biographical details or prior postings for D. Lingeshwaran and B. Karthikeyan.
- Whether any official notice specifies timelines or procedures for converting these Additional Judges to permanent judges at the Madras High Court.
- Whether the Madras High Court updates its published working-strength figure if other appointments or transfers occur.
How it's being covered
Coverage analysisShow details4 source articles · 4 unique outletsCoverage mix: Too few rated· 1 CenterWhere the outlets are based: Asia 50% · Unknown 50%
How outlets' accounts compare
How we got here
The immediate backdrop is the use of Article 224 of the Constitution of India (adopted 26 November 1949, effective 26 January 1950) to appoint Additional Judges to high courts temporarily when the President (per Article 217, 1950) considers it necessary.
The oath-taking that precedes judicial duty is governed by Article 219 of the Constitution (effective 26 January 1950), which specifies the form of oath for high court judges.
Original sources
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