Justice V Mohana Appointed to Supreme Court, Increasing Women Judges to Two
Senior Advocate V. Mohana has been sworn in as a Supreme Court judge, marking the first appointment of a woman judge in over five years. Her elevation increases the number of women judges in the apex court to two, alongside Justice B.V. Nagarathna. This appointment is part of a larger induction of five new judges, raising the court's working strength to 37.
Key Highlights
- Justice V. Mohana sworn in as Supreme Court Judge on June 2, 2026.
- First woman judge appointed to SC after a gap of over five years since August 2021.
- Her elevation brings the total number of women judges in SC to two.
- She is the 12th woman judge and second direct elevation from the Bar.
- Part of five new judicial appointments, increasing SC's working strength to 37.
- Sanctioned strength of Supreme Court recently increased to 38 judges.
In a significant development for India's judiciary, Senior Advocate V. Mohana was sworn in as a Supreme Court judge on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. This appointment is particularly noteworthy as it marks the first elevation of a woman judge to the apex court in over five years. The last time women judges were appointed to the Supreme Court was in August 2021, when Justices Hima Kohli, B.V. Nagarathna, and Bela Trivedi took office. With Justice Mohana's elevation, the Supreme Court of India now has two sitting women judges, the other being Justice B.V. Nagarathna, who was, until this appointment, the sole woman on the bench.
Justice V. Mohana is among five new judges who took the oath of office, administered by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. The other four judges elevated are Chief Justices Sheel Nagu of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Shree Chandrashekhar of the Bombay High Court, Sanjeev Sachdeva of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, and Arun Palli of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. These appointments increase the working strength of the Supreme Court to 37 judges, bringing it closer to its recently expanded sanctioned strength of 38, including the Chief Justice of India. The Union Government had, in May 2026, promulgated an ordinance to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, thereby increasing the sanctioned strength of judges from 34 to 38.
The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, had recommended these five names for elevation during its meetings held on May 22 and May 27, 2026. The Central Government subsequently cleared these recommendations on May 31 or June 1, 2026, paving the way for the swearing-in ceremony.
Justice V. Mohana's journey to the apex court is notable for several reasons. She is the 12th woman judge in the 76-year history of the Supreme Court of India. Furthermore, she is only the second woman to be directly elevated from the Bar to the Supreme Court bench, a rare trajectory, following Justice Indu Malhotra who was appointed in 2018. A first-generation lawyer born in Chennai in 1966, Justice Mohana graduated from Coimbatore Law College in 1988. She was designated as a Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court in 2015. Her extensive legal career includes appearing in several high-profile and landmark cases, such as those concerning permanent commission for women officers in the armed forces, senior citizens' property rights, and the Karnataka hijab ban case. Her appointment is seen as a crucial step towards enhancing gender diversity and representation in India's highest judicial institution.
This round of appointments is expected to aid in addressing the mounting backlog of cases in the Supreme Court and facilitate the regular convening of Constitution Benches. The elevation of judges directly from the Bar, like Justice Mohana, is a testament to their exceptional legal acumen and extensive experience in constitutional, civil, and criminal matters. Her tenure as a Supreme Court judge is expected to be nearly five years, with retirement slated for June 2031. The broader legal fraternity and civil society have welcomed these appointments, particularly emphasizing the positive impact of increased female representation on the Supreme Court bench.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Justice V. Mohana?
Justice V. Mohana is a Senior Advocate who has been appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India, taking her oath of office on June 2, 2026. She is recognized for her extensive legal career, including work on significant cases related to women officers in the armed forces.
How many women judges are currently in the Supreme Court of India after Justice Mohana's appointment?
Following Justice V. Mohana's appointment, the Supreme Court of India now has two sitting women judges: Justice V. Mohana and Justice B.V. Nagarathna.
What is the significance of Justice V. Mohana's appointment?
Justice V. Mohana's appointment is significant as she is the first woman judge to be elevated to the Supreme Court in over five years. She is also only the second woman in the court's history to be directly elevated from the Bar, and her appointment contributes to enhancing gender diversity in India's highest judicial body.
When were the recommendations for these new Supreme Court judges made?
The Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, recommended the elevation of Justice V. Mohana and four other judges in its meetings held on May 22 and May 27, 2026.
What is the current working strength of the Supreme Court of India?
With the swearing-in of the five new judges, including Justice V. Mohana, the working strength of the Supreme Court of India has increased to 37 judges, against a recently raised sanctioned strength of 38.
