Judicial Appointments

The Centre notified Chief Justices for 8 High Courts on September 5, 2026, ending months of Acting-CJ vacancies — with one appointment shadowed by corruption allegations.

Punjab's Cabinet called the Centre's notification of a new Chief Justice unconstitutional and demanded a halt — the oath went ahead anyway. Here's what the law actually requires.

President Murmu's assent raises the Supreme Court's sanctioned strength to 38 judges, the first increase since 2019 — but with a 93,000-case backlog, will more judges alone fix it?

In a decisive move to address judicial vacancies in Bihar, the Supreme Court Collegium has cleared nine senior advocates for elevation. The recommendations, issued on February 26, 2026, include prominent legal names and await final Central Government clearance.

The SC ruled that in-service judicial officers are eligible for the "Bar Quota" for direct recruitment as District Judges (DJ). The decision overturns a restrictive interpretation of Article 233(2), allowing officers with seven years of combined experience to apply.

With the elevation of Justices Alok Aradhe and Vipul M. Pancholi, the Supreme Court has regained its sanctioned strength of 34 judges. While addressing chronic understaffing, Justice Pancholi’s appointment—superseding 56 senior High Court judges—raises debates on seniority, transparency, and collegium practice. For lawyers, this impacts bench constitution, case listing, and succession dynamics.

In a major expansion move, the SC Collegium recommended 14 advocates for elevation to the Bombay High Court. This rare batch aims to ease vacancies, speed up case disposal, and diversify the bench in India’s busiest High Court.

Review petitions filed challenging India's 3-year Bar practice rule for judicial service, citing fairness and constitutional issues.

Justices Anjaria, Bishnoi & Chandurkar sworn in as Supreme Court judges; SC regains full strength of 34 judges.