Supreme Court collegium recommends two names for appointment as apex court judges to bring bench strength up to 29. Details here

The Supreme Court Collegium recommended on Thursday Justice Surya Kant from Punjab & Haryana High Court and Justice BR Gavai from Bombay High Court for elevation to the apex court.

The Supreme Court in its document said that the Collegium considered the two judges "deserving and suitable in all respects for appointed as Judges of the Supreme Court of India".

At present, the Supreme Court has a working strength of 27. Its sanctioned strength is 31 judges, including the chief justice. The appointment of judges will bring the total number of SC judges to 29.

Read the document below:

READ | Supreme Court Asks EC To Look Into Grievances Of Sacked BSF Jawan Whose Nomination From Varanasi Was Cancelled

On May 7, the government is believed to have returned to the collegium names of two high court chief justices recommended for elevation as judges of the Supreme Court, sources aware of the development said on Tuesday. On April 12, the Supreme Court collegium had recommended the names of Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice Aniruddha Bose, and Gauhati HC Chief Justice A S Bopanna for elevation to the top court.

Seniority and representation of regions have been cited as reasons behind the government's decision, the sources said.

The Supreme Court collegium Monday recommended six names for appointment as judges in the high courts of Delhi, Kerala and Uttarakhand.

A three-member collegium headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi recommended to the Centre the names of four judicial officers for appointment as judges of the Delhi High Court. 
"The Collegium resolves to recommend that Talwant Singh, Rajnish Bhatnagar, Asha Menon, and Brijesh Sethi, Judicial Officers, be appointed as Judges of the Delhi High Court," it said. The collegium also comprises Justices S A Bobde and N V Ramana.

While Justice Bose whose parent high court is Calcutta, is at number 12 in all-India seniority of judges, Justice Bopanna, whose parent high court is Karnataka, stands at number 36.

Last year, the government had returned Justice Bose's name to the collegium when he was recommended to head the Delhi high court.

READ | Protests By Activists, Left At Supreme Court After In-house Panel Says 'no Substance In Allegations' Against CJI; Section 144 Imposed