Obama nominated Merrick Garland for Chief Justice of US Supreme Court

 President Barack Obama has nominated veteran appeals court judge Merrick Garland (63) to be the next US Supreme Court Justice. 
•    His nomination comes to vacancy in the US Supreme Court which was created after the death of SC Justice Antonin Scalia. The Supreme Court vacancy follows the death of Antonin Scalia last month. This appointment now has to be ratified by the Senate. 
•    Judge Garland is viewed as a centrist and moderate. He is highly regarded by the legal fraternity and lawmakers. 
•    India-born Srikanth Srinivasan was also one of the contenders for the nomination. 
•    Currently he is serving as US Circuit Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
•    President Barack Obama on 16 March 2016 nominated appeals court judge Merrick Garland to be the next US Supreme Court Justice. 
•    63-year-old Garland will be 113th Supreme Court justice of the US.
•    Garland, who is the Chief Judge on the US Court of Appeals in D.C. Circuit, will succeed Justice Antonin Scalia who died on 13 February 2016.
•    Justice Garland is viewed as a moderate and has won praise from senior Republican figures. 
•    The appointment has to be ratified by the Senate, but its Republican majority has vowed to block a vote on any Supreme Court nominee from Obama.