SC Collegium Recommends 5 for Supreme Court, Including Four HC Chief Justices

In a significant development for India's judiciary, the Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, has recommended the elevation of five distinguished legal professionals as judges to the apex court. The recommendations, made during Collegium meetings held on May 22 and May 27, 2026, include four incumbent Chief Justices of various High Courts and a prominent Senior Advocate, V. Mohana. The four High Court Chief Justices whose names have been put forth for elevation are Justice Sheel Nagu, currently the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court; Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, serving as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court; Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court; and Justice Arun Palli, who is the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Notably, the Collegium has also recommended the elevation of Senior Advocate V. Mohana, a practicing lawyer at the Supreme Court. Her appointment, if approved by the Central government, would mark a historic moment as she would become the second woman lawyer to be directly elevated from the Bar to the Supreme Court, following Justice Indu Malhotra. This move is expected to significantly enhance women's representation on the Supreme Court bench, which currently has only one woman judge, Justice B.V. Nagarathna. These recommendations come swiftly on the heels of the Union government's decision to increase the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court. On May 16, 2026, President Droupadi Murmu promulgated the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026. This ordinance raised the maximum number of judges (excluding the Chief Justice of India) from 33 to 37, bringing the total sanctioned strength, including the CJI, to 38. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had approved the proposal for this increase on May 5, 2026. The primary motivation behind this expansion is to address the burgeoning backlog of cases pending before the apex court, which currently stands at over 92,000 to 93,000 cases. The increase in judicial strength is expected to allow the Supreme Court to function more efficiently and effectively, thereby ensuring speedier justice delivery. The Supreme Court is presently operating with a working strength of 32 judges, creating several vacancies. Furthermore, the court is anticipating a series of retirements throughout 2026. Justice J.K. Maheshwari and Justice Pankaj Mithal are set to retire in June, followed by Justice Sanjay Karol in August, and Justice Satish Sharma in November. The new recommendations, therefore, are crucial for filling these existing and impending vacancies and maintaining the court's operational capacity during Chief Justice Surya Kant's tenure, which concludes in February 2027. Legal experts and practitioners have widely welcomed the move to increase judge strength and the Collegium's recommendations, viewing them as a timely step to tackle the rising pendency of cases and facilitate the more regular constitution of Constitution Benches. The Collegium, in making these recommendations, has reportedly considered various factors including regional representation, judicial seniority, merit, and gender diversity, aiming for a well-balanced composition of the apex court. This development underscores the ongoing efforts to strengthen India's judicial system and uphold the principle of speedy justice, which is considered an essential component of the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The appointments, once cleared by the government, will play a vital role in enhancing the Supreme Court's capacity to handle its immense caseload and deliver justice more effectively to the citizens of India.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read Full Story on Quick Digest