Against a sanctioned strength of 34 judges, the SC currently has 33 judges. The lone vacancy was created when Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul retired in December last year.
'While recommending his name, the collegium has taken into consideration the fact that among the high court judges, he is the senior-most judge belonging to a Scheduled Caste and the only chief justice belonging to a Scheduled Caste among the chief justices of high courts across the country'
Collegium recommends Karnataka Chief Justice Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale for appointment to apex court thehindu.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thehindu.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.