Nine new judges including three women judges were, recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium for appointment as judges of the top court on Thursday. The names have been sent to the President for approval.
The judges are likely to take oath on August 31.
Justice BV Nagarathna, of the Karnataka High Court, is in line to become the first woman Chief Justice of India.
PS Narasimha, among the judges for the Supreme Court elevation, is also in line to become the Chief Justice, the third lawyer from the bar to occupy the top post.
The nine nominated by it were four High Court Chief Justices —Vikram Nath (Gujarat), A S Oka (Karnataka), Hima Kohli (Telangana) and J K Maheshwari (Sikkim) — four High Court judges Justices B V Nagarathna (Karnataka), M M Sundresh (Madras), C T Ravikumar (Kerala) and Bela M Trivedi (Gujarat), and Senior Advocate P S Narasimha.
The Supreme Court Collegium, comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices U U Lalit, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and L Nageswara Rao, had on August 17 recommended nine names, including eight High Court judges and an advocate, for elevation to the apex court. The Supreme Court, which has 25 judges against a sanctioned strength of 34, will be left with only one vacancy after the new judges are sworn in.