Justices Dipak Misra and Jasti Chelameswar were sworn in on Monday as supreme court judges, raising the strength of the apex court to 28.

Chief justice of India S H Kapadia administered the oath of office to Misra and Chelameswar, former chief justices of Delhi and Kerala high courts, respectively.

Justice Misra had taken charge as the Delhi high court chief justice on May 24, last year. He had joined the judiciary on January 17, 1996 when he was made an additional judge of the Orissa high court.

He was subsequently transferred to Madhya Pradesh high court on March 3, 1997 and became a permanent high court judge there on December 19 the same year.

Born on October 3, 1953, justice Misra was enrolled as an advocate on February 14, 1977 and practiced in constitutional, civil, criminal, revenue, service and sales tax matters in Orissa high court and the service tribunals.

Justice Misra also worked as the chief justice of Patna high court from December 23, 2009 till May 24, last year when he joined the Delhi high court as its chief justice.

Justice Chelameswar had assumed the charge of Kerala high court as its chief justice on March 17, last year. He was first elevated as an additional judge in the Andhra Pradesh high court on June 23, 1997 and was made a judge there on May 17, 1999. On May 3, 2007, he was appointed as chief justice of the Guwahati high court.

Born on June 23, 1953 in Andhra Pradesh, justice Chelameswar enrolled as an advocate in the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 1976.

He specialised in constitutional and electoral laws, besides the central excise, customs, income tax and criminal laws.

Appointed as standing counsel of AP Lokayukta in 1985, justice Chelameswar also worked as government pleader for home affairs in 1988 and 1989. He was designated as senior counsel in 1995 before being appointed as AP's additional advocate general on October 13, 1995.

The apex court at present has a sanctioned strength of 31 judges including the CJI.