26 JUNE 2014:Rohinton Nariman, Arun Mishra & Adarsh Gohel appointed as SC judge

Ø  Vice President Hamid Ansari’s visit to China to mark the 60th anniversary of Panchsheel on June 28 will set the ball rolling for a series of high-level bilateral visits to strengthen the strategic and cooperative partnership between the two countries. India, which will roll out the red carpet for Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year, is expecting “substantive outcome” from the visit. Mr. Ansari, who will leave for China, will make Xian his first stop, before embarking on a visit to Beijing, where he is expected to hold several high-level meetings. Accompanied by Minister of State for Commerce, Nirmala Sitharaman and four Members of Parliament, Mr. Ansari is expected to call on the Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and the President besides holding talks with the Vice President Li Yuanchao, who has extended the invitation. Trilateral talks are also scheduled between China, India and Myanmar. “The visit is expected to add new substance to bilateral relations with substantial outcomes,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said. In Xian, Vice President Ansari will visit the Wild Goose Pagoda, which holds the sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and traveller Hiuen Tsang. Officials said the fact that ‘Panchsheel’ continues to remain relevant for India, China and Myanmar can be gauged by the fact that the three countries are jointly celebrating the 60th anniversary. Ms. Sitharaman is also expected to hold meetings with her counterpart to discuss bilateral trade.

Ø  External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj landed in Dhaka for her first solo overseas visit since being sworn in.

New judges of Supreme Court

Ø  President Pranab Mukherjee appointed the Chief Justices of Calcutta and Orissa High Courts, Arun Mishra and Adarsh Kumar Goel respectively, and senior lawyer Rohinton Nariman as Supreme Court judges.

Ø  Justice V. K. Rajah, an Indian-origin judge, was appointed as the eighth Attorney-General of Singapore.