In Brief
Two citizens—Swami Om Ji and Mukesh Jain—filed a writ petition challenging the constitutional validity of the procedure for appointing the next Chief Justice of India, claiming it violated Articles 124(2), 124(3), and 124A of the Constitution. The petitioners submitted that the incumbent Chief Justice's recommendation of his successor was unlawful. The Supreme Court dismissed the petition, finding the petitioners' legal interpretations wholly misconceived. The Court clarified that Constitution Benches have established that the incumbent Chief Justice must make such recommendations to the President, and that Article 124A had been struck down as unconstitutional. The petition was filed at the eleventh hour (one working day before the swearing-in) without any allegations against the incoming Chief Justice, leading the Court to characterize it as a motivated publicity stunt. Costs of ₹10 lakh each were imposed on both petitioners.
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