The Chief Justice of India TS Thakur has recommended Justice JS Khehar as the next Chief Justice of India in a letter addressed to the Government. The letter was received by the Centre on Tuesday. Justice Thakur, who is due to retire on January 3, 2017, bowed to the tradition followed by each outgoing CJI to recommend the name of his successor in order for the Government to process the formalities required to issue the official warrant.
The Centre had written to the CJI office last month reminding him to initiate the process of recommending his successor at least a month prior to his date of retirement. With the official letter out, it has paved the way for appointment of the next CJI. Justice Khehar, who will take oath on January 4, 2017, will have a tenure of over seven months (to be precise till August 27, 2017).
He had headed the five-judge Constitution Bench which struck down the National Judicial Appointments Commission as unconstitutional and revived the collegium system of appointing judges, rendered redundant by Centre following a Constitutional amendment.