Above: CJI Dipak Misra

On April 27, Justice Indu Malhotra took oath as Supreme Court judge thereby becoming the first woman lawyer straight from the bar to become Supreme Court judge. After taking oath, she started her innings sitting in the CJI bench which comprised of CJI Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud.

For many lay readers it was surprising to know that Justice Indu Malhotra had replaced one of the senior judges Justice Khanwilkar.

But it was only for the day that Justice Malhotra had replaced Justice Khanwilkar. Actually, it is the long-standing of the tradition of the apex court that whenever a new judge joins it, he has to start his/her innings by sitting in the CJI bench. The original composition of the CJI bench has been returned.

—India Legal Bureau