Justice NV Ramana appointed as 48th CJI

New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday appointed Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana as the new Chief Justice of India (CJI).

He will take oath on April 24, an official communication by the Centre said.

“The President of India, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, appointed Shri Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana, Judge of the Supreme Court, to be the Chief Justice of India. A notification in this regard has been issued by the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice today. The Warrant of Appointment and a copy of the Notification of Appointment have been handed over to Shri Justice NV Ramana,” A Rashtrapati Bhawan communiqué said.

Hailing from Ponnavaram Village in Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna district, Justice Ramana is a first-generation lawyer, having agricultural background.

Called on to the Bar on February 10, 1983, he practised in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Central and Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunals, and the Supreme Court of India. He specialised in Constitutional, Civil, Labour, Service and Election matters. He has also practised before Inter-State River Tribunals.

During his practice years, he was a Panel Counsel for various Government Organizations and as Additional Standing Counsel for Railways in the Central Administrative Tribunal at Hyderabad before rendering services as Additional Advocate General of Andhra Pradesh.

Justice Ramana served as puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of India from February 17, 2014. He served as Chairman of, Supreme Court Legal Services Committee from March 7, 2019, to November 26, 2019. He has also served as the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) since November 27, 2019.

Initially, he was appointed as a Permanent Judge of Andhra Pradesh High Court on June 27, 2000. He also functioned as Acting Chief Justice of his parent High Court from March 2013 to June 20, 2013.

Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, who is due to retire on April 23, had recommended Justice Ramana as his successor last month.