In Letter to CJI UU Lalit, Union Law Min Requests Him To Recommend Successor

Justice DY Chandrachud is likely to become the 50th Chief Justice of India.

A month prior to the incumbent Chief Justice of India (CJI) U U Lalit's retirement, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday, 7 October, wrote to him asking him to recommend his successor.

The Union Ministry of Law and Justice, in a bid to start the process of appointment of the next CJI, also tweeted it out.

As per the MoP on appointment of Chief Justice of India and Supreme Court Judges, today the Hon’ble Minister of Law and Justice sent a letter to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India for sending his recommendations for appointment of his successor.

— Ministry of Law and Justice (@MLJ_GoI) October 7, 2022

According to convention, the outgoing CJI names the senior-most judge as their successor before leaving office after the Union Minister of Law and Justice, at the appropriate time, seeks the recommendation of the outgoing Chief Justice of India for the appointment of the next Chief Justice of India.

Currently, Justice DY Chandrachud is the senior-most judge after the CJI and is likely to be recommended to become the 50th Chief Justice of India. His tenure would last two years from 9 November, 2022, to 10 November, 2024.

His father, Justice YV Chandrachud was the 16th Chief Justice Of India from 1978 to 1985.