Senior lawyer Indu Malhotra was sworn in on Friday as Supreme Court judge, amid raging controversy over the Narendra Modi government returning recommendation on Justice K.M. Joseph.

She was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice Dipak Misra. She will have a tenure of a little over three years.

With her swearing in the strength of the top court judges rose to 25 -- six still short of the actual sanctioned strength of 31.

It is for the first time that the apex court has two women judges -- the other being Justice R. Banumathi. Justice Malhotra is the fifth woman judge of the top court.

Justice Fatima Bibi was the first woman judge of the Supreme Court. She was followed by Justice Ruma Pal, Justice Gyan Sudha Misra and Justice Banumathi.