On 3rd August 2022, the Secretariat of the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana received a communication from the Union Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju requesting him to recommend the name of his successor. The very next day, CJI Ramana had written back to the Union Government recommending Justice Lalit, the second senior judge of the Supreme Court as the next Chief Justice of India, as per convention. CJI Ramana is to demit office on 26th August 2022. Justice Lalit is the second CJI to be elevated to the Supreme Court directly from the Bar. The first was Justice S M Sikri, who became the 13th CJI in January 1971. The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday appointed Justice U.U. Lalit as the Chief Justice of India with effect from 27th August 2022 Justice Lalit would be sworn in by President Draupadi Murmu as CJI on August 27 and will have a 74-day tenure since he retires on November 8. CJI NV Ramana, who retires on August 26, had recommended Justice Lalit’s name to the government as his successor. CJI Ramana congratulated Justice Lalit on being appointed as 49th CJI. The outgoing CJI also expressed confidence that with his long and rich experience in the bar as well as on the bench, Justice Lalit will take the institution of the judiciary to greater heights through his able leadership. He will assume charge on August 27 after incumbent N V Ramana demits office the day before .”In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, judge of the Supreme Court, to be the Chief Justice of India with effect from 27 August, 2022,” a law ministry notification said. Justice Lalit will have a brief tenure of less than three months. He will turn 65 on November 8 when he demits office. In the nutshell President appoints Justice UU Lalit as 49th Chief Justice of India.
