The law ministry generally writes to the Chief Justice asking for his recommendation for his successor
Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, who retires in October, has been asked to recommend his successor by the government, sources have told NDTV.
It is convention for the law ministry to write to the Chief Justice asking for his recommendation on the man who will replace him.
Justice Ranjan Gogoi, the second senior most judge after Justice Misra, is likely to be the next Chief Justice of India.
Justice Gogoi was among the four judges who, in January, criticised Chief Justice Misra in a rare press conference and accused him of misusing his role of assigning cases as the Supreme Court's Master of the Roster. He is currently hearing the Assam NRC issue.
Justice Gogoi's name is likely to be made formal when Justice Misra replies to the Law Ministry letter. He retires on October 2 and has to name a successor at least one month before that.
Justice Gogoi, who was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2012, is known to be a soft-spoken but tough judge.