New Delhi, Aug 7 : Justice Indira Banerjee, Justice Vineet Saran and Justice K.M. Joseph on Tuesday were sworn in as Supreme Court judges in the same order of seniority as notified by the government, unfazed by the row over placing Justice Joseph as the junior-most among them.

The three were administered the oath of office by Chief Justice Dipak Misra at a function in the apex court.

On Monday, senior judges of the court met Chief Justice Misra to convey their dissatisfaction over the government's decision to place Justice Joseph in the third place for the swearing in.

They maintained that he should be the senior among the three as his name was the first to be recommended for the top court and was re-recommended after the government had raised objections.

Justice Joseph apparently had ruffled the feathers of those in the establishment with his judgement in the Uttarakhand High Court in which he had set aside imposition of President's rule in the state in 2016. The Supreme Court had upheld the judgement.

Government sources, however, maintained that the seniority of judges is based on an all-India basis and not by the recommendation of the Supreme Court collegium.

Justice Joseph was recommended for elevation way back on January 10. His recommendation was reiterated on July 17 after the government had returned it for reconsideration by the Supreme Court collegium.

With three new judges joining, the strength of the top court judges is now 28 as against the sanctioned strength of 31.

It is for the first time that the Supreme Court has three sitting women judges -- Justice R. Banumathi, Justice Indu Malhotra and Justice Indira Banerjee.

Justice Banerjee is the seventh woman judge of the Supreme Court, the first being Justice Fatima Beevi, followed by Justice Ruma Pal, Justice Ranjana Desai, Justice Gyan Sudha Misra, Justice R. Banumathi and Justice Indu Malhotra.




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New Delhi (PTI): Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the government's 'Employment Linked Incentive' scheme, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said while he creates new slogans everyday, the youth are still waiting for real opportunities, and asked if it was "just another jumla".

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said that after the 2024 election, PM Modi announced the "Employment Linked Incentive" scheme with much fanfare, promising to provide employment to our youth.

"It's been nearly a year since announcing the scheme, the government hasn't even defined it, and has returned the Rs 10,000 crores allotted to it. This shows how serious the PM is about unemployment," he alleged without elaborating the claim.

There was no immediate response from the government on it.

Gandhi said jobs can't be created by focusing only on large corporates, promoting cronies over fair-play businesses, prioritising assembly over production, and disregarding India's indigenous skills.

"The way to create crores of jobs is through large-scale investment in MSMEs, fair markets where competition can thrive, support for local production networks and youth equipped with the right skills," he said.

"The PM won't agree with these ideas. But I must ask him directly: Prime Minister ji, you announced ELI with great showmanship - but where has this Rs 10,000 crore scheme disappeared? Have you abandoned our unemployed youth along with your promises?"

"While you create new slogans every day, our youth are still waiting for real opportunities. What is your concrete plan to generate the crores of jobs India desperately needs, or is this just another jumla?" he said.

Gandhi further asked when will the PM shift his focus from enriching Adani and his "billionaire friends" to ensuring that young people from marginalised communities have equal access to employment.