Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh, who was born in Imphal on March 1, 1963, is the son of N Gomati Devi and the late Justice N Ibotombi Singh of the Gauhati High Court, who had held the position of Manipur’s first Advocate General.
TFM Desk
Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh has become the first judge from Manipur to be elevated to the Supreme Court of India. The Central government has notified his appointment to the apex court of India.
Justice Kotiswar who was born in Imphal on March 1, 1963, is the son of N Gomati Devi and the late Justice N Ibotombi Singh of the Gauhati High Court, who had held the position of Manipur’s first Advocate General.
Justice Kotiswar who has been serving as Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir High Court, was elevated to the SC along with Madras High Court Acting Chief Justice R Mahadevan. Once they were sworn in, the apex court will function at its full strength of 34 judges. The Supreme Court Collegium recommended their elevation on July 11, 2024. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal announced their appointments on Tuesday (July 16, 2024).
While recommending his elevation, the SC collegium resolution said, “His appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court will provide representation to the North-East, and in particular he will be the first judge from the State of Manipur to be appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court,”
The Collegium comprised Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy.
The resolution further stated, “Justice Singh has an impeccable record, both in judicial capacity and in terms of the work which has been rendered by him on the administrative side, as the Chief Justice of the High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Considering the candidature of Justice N Kotiswar Singh in terms of his judicial performance, administrative acumen, integrity and merit, the Collegium is of the view that he is eminently suitable for being appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court.”
Justice Kotiswar completed his schooling from Ramakrishna Mission Vidyapith, Purulia, West Bengal and Pre-University Course in Science from St. Anthony College, Shillong. He graduated from Kirori Mal College, Delhi University with B.A. (Hons.) in Political Science in 1983 and obtained his Degree in Law (LL.B.) from Campus Law Centre, Law Faculty, Delhi University in 1986.
After getting the Law Degree, Justice Kotiswar enrolled as an Advocate in 1986 under the Bar Council of Delhi. He later shifted to the roll of the Bar Council of Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. He also attended the Commonwealth Young Lawyers Course after selection under the University of London in 1992.
After practising before the Supreme Court of India for a brief period, Justice Kotiswar shifted his practice to Gauhati High Court. He also practised before the Central Administrative Tribunal (‘CAT’), Gauhati, District Subordinate Courts and various Tribunals in Manipur.
Justice N. Kotiswar mainly practiced in Civil, Criminal, Constitutional and Service matters.
He has served as the Standing Counsel for various institutions/ public undertakings and Government Departments including the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Manipur, Manipur Renewable Energy Development Agency (‘MANIREDA’), Manipur Board of Secondary Education, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, National Insurance Company Ltd., Allahabad Bank, Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd. and Department of Electronics and Accreditation of Computer Courses (‘DOEACC’) Centre, Imphal.
He also appeared before several Commissions in Manipur constituted under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952. He served as the Advocate General of the State of Manipur from 03-11-2007 and was designated as a Senior Advocate on 31-03-2008 by the Gauhati High Court.
Judgeship Justice N. Kotiswar Singh was elevated to the Bench as the Additional Judge of the Gauhati High Court on 17-10-2011 and was sworn in again as the Judge of Gauhati High Court on 07-11-2012. He was appointed to perform the duties of the office of Chief Justice of the High Court of Manipur. Justice Kotiswar was transferred to Gauhati High Court on 11-10-2018 and was later appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court.
Meanwhile, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh bid farewell to Justice N Kotiswar Singh on his appointment as Judge of Supreme Court of India by holding a Full Court Farewell Reference on Tuesday. In his farewell address, Advocate General DC Raina described Justice Kotiswar a gentleman par excellence and lauded the role of His Lordship for his dedication and commitment to his professional responsibilities. He said that Justice N Kotiswar Singh was endeared by all in the UT of J&K and Ladakh because of his polite conduct and behaviour.
https://x.com/BupendaMeitei/status/1813131383981719787?s=08
Welcoming the appointment, Manipur Congress senior spokesperson Ningombam Bupenda Meitei posted on X that “After 76 years of India’s Independence, Manipur gets the first Justice at Hon’ble Supreme Court of India today.
With the appointment of Shri Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh, Hon’ble Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, from Imphal, Manipur, as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India, I feel profoundly elated and deeply moved with joy to witness this historic entry of the first Manipuri Meitei Justice in the Bench of the highest Court of our country.
I don’t know after how many decades the Supreme Court of India will have a Supreme Court Judge from Manipur after him, he posted.