Uday Umesh Lalit Appointed As Chief Justice Of India

Justice Uday Umesh Lalit was appointed as the 49th Chief Justice of India (CJI). President Droupadi Murmu signed the warrant of appointment. UU Lalit is the second head of the Indian judiciary to be directly elevated to the Supreme Court bench from the bar, while Justice SM Sikri was the first lawyer who was directly elevated in March 1964.

Justice UU Lalit will take charge from August 27, as current CJI NV Ramana will be retiring on August 26. Anyhow, Justice Lalit will have a very short tenure as the CJI as he would be retiring on November 8 this year. Justice Lalit will turn 65 on that day.

Justice UU Lalit has been part of several popular verdicts like holding the divorce practice among Muslims through ‘triple talaq’ is illegal and unconstitutional. Justice Lalit also appeared as a lawyer for former UP CM Kalyan Singh. Justice Lalit was also part of a five-judge constitution bench headed by then CJI Ranjan Gogoi in the Ayodhya matter, but later wanted out due to a conflict of interests and did not want to be a part of the hearing any further.

Justice UU Lalit was born on November 9, 1957. He enrolled as an advocate in June 1983 and practiced in the Bombay High Court till December 1985.