Justice Arun Mishra, Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and senior advocate Rohinton Nariman Monday became judges of the Supreme Court, taking the number of judges in the apex court to 28.
Chief Justice R.M. Lodha administered them the oath of office. With this, the apex court is three short out of the sanctioned strength of 31 judges.
Justice Mishra was earlier chief justice of the Calcutta High Court while Justice Goel was chief justice of the Orissa High Court.
Nariman Monday joined the galaxy of senior counsels directly appointed a judge of the apex court from the Supreme Court Bar. Nariman was the solicitor general in the previous government.
The elevation of Justice Mishra and Justice Goel and the appointment of Nariman was marred by controversy after the government returned the apex court collegium's recommendation to appoint Gopal Subramanium as a judge. Subramanium too was the solicitor general prior to Nariman.
