Supreme Court gets new chief justice

The Supreme Court of India Friday got a new chief justice, Sarosh Homi Kapadia, and its only woman judge, Gyan Sudha Misra.

The law and justice ministry said that Justice Kapadia will take over May 12 from Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, the first Dalit to occupy the post.

Kapadia was born Sep 29, 1947, only months after India became independent. He enrolled as an advocate in September 1974 and practised at the Bombay High Court.

He was appointed additional judge of the high court Oct 8, 1991, and was elevated as a permanent judge March 23, 1993.

Kapadia became the chief justice of the Uttarakhand High Court Aug 5, 2003 and moved to the Supreme Court bench Dec 18, 2003.

According to the Supreme Court website, he is due to retire Sep 29, 2012.

Also Friday, the Supreme Court got three new judges, with Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice Gyan Sudha Misra becoming the first woman judge since Justice Ruma Pal retired in June 2006.

The others who were elevated to the apex court were Madras High Court Chief Justice Hemant Laxman Gokhale and Bombay High Court Chief Justice Anil Ramesh Dave.

They will be the judges of the Supreme Court with effect from the dates they assume charge of their offices.

Justice Mishra told reporters that she was happy with the new post and described herself as a representative of Indian women.

Justice Fathima Beevi was sworn-in as the first woman judge of the Supreme Court Oct 10, 1989. She retired April 29, 1992.

Justice Sujata Manohar became the second woman Supreme Court judge Nov 8, 1994, retiring Aug 27, 1999.

Justice Ruma Pal held the post from Jan 28, 2000 till June 6, 2006.