President Kovind signs order appointing Justice Bobde as next CJI.

• Bobde, who will be the 47th Chief Justice of India, will be sworn in on 18 November

• Current CJI Ranjan Gogoi will retire on 17 November

Justice S.A Bobde is set to be sworn in as the next Chief Justice of India, after President Ram Nath Kovind signed his appointment order on Tuesday, according to news reports.

Bobde, who will be the 47th Chief Justice of India, will be sworn in on 18 November, following the retirement of current CJI Ranjan Gogoi on 17 November. Bobde’s term will run till 23 April, 2021.

As per protocol, Gogoi had written to the Centre earlier this month recommending Bobde’s name as the next CJI.

A judge since 2000, Bobde joined the Bombay High Court as an additional judge. He was nominated by the 39th Chief Justice Altamas Kabir as the Madhya Pradesh High Court Chief Justice in October 2012. In April 2013, he was elevated to the Supreme Court by Kabir.

Bobde has been also credited with the judgement where the apex court ruled that the lack of Aadhaar was not grounds to deprive any Indian citizen of basic services and government subsides.

Justice Bobde is also part of the five-judge constitution bench which just concluded hearing the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute, the verdict for which is awaited and which is also one of the most crucial of cases. (Source: Livemint)