MUMBAI: Noting that the Supreme Court is “trying to infuse more transparency in matters of appointments,” Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai on Friday assured the Bombay High Court of its attempts to ensure it soon functions at its full strength of 94 judges. The Bombay HC, “busiest” in the nation, as Bombay Bar Association (BBA) Chief Nitin Thakkar said, presently had a vacancy of 29 judges, or over 30 percent.CJI Gavai, the 52nd CJI, being felicitated by the BBA, said when he took over, also when his predecessor, CJI Sanjeev Khanna, took over or even during the period of Justice UU Lalit (the 49th CJI), “as I have said earlier, the Supreme Court of India is a court of all the judges. The CJI is only the first among equals, and we have tried to dispel the impression that the SC is a CJI-centric court.” “Immediately on my assuming office on May 14, we had a full court sitting, where all judges participated, and we took many decisions in the interest of the institution.” He said “from (51st )CJI Khanna’s time, we have tried to infuse more transparency in matters of appointments.”The CJI also said that after his appointment, “I have refused to give any interviews to the press. And I have also refused to speak anything as to what is my road map. Because I personally believe that rather than speaking now, after six months, if I am in a position to achieve something, it is better to speak thereafter. Rather than giving lots of promises in the beginning and disappointing at the time one leaves the office.“The CJI said the collegium of the top court went through 54 candidates in the last three days and on Thursday recommended 36 appointments. “Pendency (of cases) is a huge issue. We are trying to work on it. One of the reasons is vacancies which are not filled up,” said the CJI, adding, “Justice (Dipankar) Datta at a function in Nagpur flagged the issue of interference in the functioning of the collegium. I must assure you that we will adopt a complete process of transparency. While ensuring that representation is given to all sections of society, merit will never be compromised (in the appointment of judges).” He added, to much applause, so far as Bombay HC is concerned, the SC collegium will follow up on recommendations made to try and ensure the HC functions “at full strength so that at least the pendency issue is addressed to some extent.”The CJI adored for his acumen, humility and empathy, rose to the exalted position from a humble background on merits, which speakers, AG Birendra Saraf, SC Judge Dipankar Datta and HC CJ Alok Aradhe, observed was a guide to all young lawyers of dreams turning to reality. The CJI launched a new BBA app and Artificial Intelligence guidelines for lawyers.CJI Gavai, recounting some of his cherished memories as lawyer since March 16, 1985, and later as Judge at the Bombay high court, of how he learnt and honed his legal skills, and the art of legal submissions, also noted that the BBA played a role in his elevation as Judge of the SC. “ When my name was doing the rounds for elevation one member of the SC collegium had reservations’’ as he was informed that it may cause an unrest on the original side of the Bombay HC. He added the BBA senior members for whom the collegium member had much respect, went to Delhi and apprised the Judge that he was misinformed and thus paved the way for his elevation, hence as a CJI. “Therefore I will always be indebted to BBA without which my elevation as SC Judge and thereafter as CJI would never have been possible.’’