On 23rd November 2023, the Law Ministry officially announced the appointment of advocate Somasekhar Sundaresan as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court. Initially, the Centre had opposed his elevation due to certain post made by him on social media. In November 2022, the government urged the Collegium to reconsider its recommendation. However, the Collegium remained steadfast, reiterating their endorsement of Sundaresan. They asserted that there was no evidence linking Sundaresan’s expressions on social media to any political party with strong ideological affiliations. The Collegium argued that his remarks on social media were merely a part of public discourse.
Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya on 28th November, administered the oath of office to senior advocate Somasekhar Sundaresan on Tuesday morning, appointing him as an additional judge of the Bombay High Court for a two-year term.
Following the swearing-in of Somasekhar Sundaresan as an additional judge, the Bombay High Court will now operate with a total of 69 judges. This includes 40 permanent judges and 29 additional judges.
