CJI Surya Kant Appointed Justice Maheshwari to Lead Supreme Court Legal Services Committee
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant had nominated Supreme Court judge Justice Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari to serve as the Chairperson of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC). His appointment took effect on 24 November 2025. The communication formalising this decision had been issued on 20 November, invoking Section 3A of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
The Committee has been responsible for extending legal assistance to persons entitled to free representation before the Supreme Court. Its work has involved coordinating legal aid, supervising assigned counsel, and ensuring that litigants falling within the eligible categories received meaningful access to justice. As Chairperson, Justice Maheshwari had been entrusted with guiding the Committee’s overall functioning and aligning its work with the objectives of the legislation governing legal services institutions.
The development came alongside another appointment: Justice Vikram Nath, who previously led the SCLSC, had been nominated as the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
Justice Maheshwari had been a judge of the Supreme Court since 2021. Before joining the apex court, he had served as the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court and earlier as a judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
The announcement also followed an observation made by Chief Justice Surya Kant regarding court practice. He had recently stated that, except in exceptional circumstances, requests for urgent listing should be made through written slips.
