Justice UU Lalit appointed 49th Chief Justice of India

New Delhi, Aug 10: Justice Uday Umesh Lalit was on Wednesday appointed as the 49th Chief Justice of India after President Droupadi Murmu signed his warrant of appointment.

He will assume charge on August 27 after incumbent NV Ramana demits office the day before.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, judge of the Supreme Court, to be the Chief Justice of India with effect from 27 August, 2022," a law ministry notification said.

Justice Lalit will have a brief tenure of less than three months. He will turn 65 on November 8 when he demits office.

Justice Uday Umesh Lalit was appointed as Judge of the Supreme Court of India on August 2014 from the Bar. Justice Lalit will become the second Chief Justice of India to be directly elevated to the Supreme Court from the Bar, after Justice SM Sikri, who served as the 13th CJI in 1971. Justice Lalit has served as a Member of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee for two terms.

Justice UU Lalit has to his credit several landmark judgments.

Who is Justice UU Lalit?

Born on 9th November, 1957 at Solapur, Maharashtra, Justice Lalit was enrolled as an Advocate by the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa in June, 1983. He practised in the High Court of Bombay till December, 1985 before shifting his practice to Delhi in January, 1986.

He worked in the chambers of Soli J Sorabjee from October 1986 till 1992 and was on the panel of lawyers for Union of India during the period Soli J Sorabjee was Attomey General for India.

From 1992 till 2002 he practised as Advocate on Record and was designated as Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court in April 2004. He was also appointed Amicus Curiae in many important issues, including Forest matters, Vehicular Pollution, Pollution of Yamuna etc. He was appointed as Special Public Prosecutor for CBI under the orders of the Supreme Court to conduct trial in all 2G matters.