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Ramana orders 'discreet' inquiry into confidential information

The CJI was shocked over the alleged leak of the list on Wednesday in a section of the media, which was inferred as a deliberate plant in certain quarters

Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana has ordered a “discreet” inquiry into confidential information relating to the Supreme Court collegium finding its way into the media as sources said he was deeply “upset, anguished” and seething with rage over the purported “betrayal”.

Except the five-member collegium comprising CJI Ramana and the four seniormost judges of the apex court — Justices U.U. Lalit, A.M. Khanwilkar, D.Y. Chandrachud and L. Nageswara Rao — very senior unidentified registry officials are privy to its meetings.

• The development comes after Tuesday’s collegium meeting at Justice Ramana’s residence which was held till 9.20pm where the decision was taken to recommend the names of nine judges/chief justices of high courts for elevation to the Supreme Court.
• The nine names cleared included three women judges — Karnataka High Court judge Justice B.V. Nagarathna, who will eventually become the country’s first woman Chief Justice of India in October 2027,
• although for a brief period of 40 days, Justice Hima Kohli, Chief Justice of Telangana High Court, and Justice Bela Trivedi, judge of Gujarat High Court. The other names cleared for elevation are Karnataka High Court Chief Justice A.S. Oka, Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Vikram Nath, Sikkim High Court Chief Justice J.K. Maheshwari, Kerala High Court judge Justice C.T. Ravi Kumar, Madras High Court judge M.M. Sundresh and senior advocate P.S. Narasimha.