Dipankar Datta is the key man. He will almost certainly be the CJI’s nominee. The other members on the panel will be Kishore Datta and probably one of Didi’s favourite judges, like Jyotirmoy B or Girish Gupta. Students will need to be proactive and write a petition demanding transparency.
Chandrachud's been very apathetic so far, as the OP has rightly pointed out. He has plain neglected his duties as the Chancellor. He has gone to give random talks to various law colleges but could not bother to ensure that the students here get their rightful degrees.
First of all, nothing will move till the election ends.
Second, after the election results, Kishore Datta will try to exert undue influence, like last time.
Third, unlike last time, things will be very different this time. Last time, the CJI was Gogoi and he nominated Rajendra Mishra. Two terrible judges with zero concern for legal education. This time, Chandrachud will be around till Nov 2024 and Khanna till May 2025. They won't be as apathetic. Also, they will probably delegate the matter to Justice Dipankar Datta, as the senior-most SC judge from the Calcutta HC. Even if Kishore delays matters till after May 2025, when gave takes over, Dipankar Datta will still probably be the CJI's nominee. Now, if the TMC does as badly as opinion polls suggest, the government will be on the backfoot and no SC judge will want to appease them. On the contrary, they will cut down Kishore Datta to size.
The current incumbent's term ends in June 2024. Has a search committee been constituted by the EC yet? If so, what's its composition? Possible applicants for the position? To what extent will the state government try to intervene? What will be the role played by students and SJA in this matter, will they try to push for a decent reputed academic, preferably someone with prior association with NLUs? What will the CJI's nominee in the EC do, seeing how the CJI refused to come down to the university in almost two years despite him being the Chancellor and the convocation of three batches left pending? Let's have some civilised and constructive discussion here.
Second, after the election results, Kishore Datta will try to exert undue influence, like last time.
Third, unlike last time, things will be very different this time. Last time, the CJI was Gogoi and he nominated Rajendra Mishra. Two terrible judges with zero concern for legal education. This time, Chandrachud will be around till Nov 2024 and Khanna till May 2025. They won't be as apathetic. Also, they will probably delegate the matter to Justice Dipankar Datta, as the senior-most SC judge from the Calcutta HC. Even if Kishore delays matters till after May 2025, when gave takes over, Dipankar Datta will still probably be the CJI's nominee. Now, if the TMC does as badly as opinion polls suggest, the government will be on the backfoot and no SC judge will want to appease them. On the contrary, they will cut down Kishore Datta to size.