The Supreme Court Collegium led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has recommended the elevation of four high court chief justices and a senior advocate as judges of the top court.
Those recommended for elevation to the Supreme Court as judges are: Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Sheel Nagu (Parent HC: Madhya Pradesh), Bombay High Court Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar (Parent HC: Jharkhand), Madhya Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva (Parent HC: Delhi), Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court Chief Justice Arun Palli (Parent HC: Punjab and Haryana) and Supreme Court senior advocate V Mohana.
The decision was taken in the Collegium’s meetings held on May 22 and 27, the Supreme Court announced on Wednesday evening.
Besides CJI Kant, the other members of the Collegium are: Justice Vikram Nath, Justice JK Maheshwari, Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice MM Sundresh.
If the Centre clears the Collegium’s recommendation, it will take the number of judges in the Supreme Court from the present 32 to 37.
Mohana’s will be the first appointment of a woman judge in the Supreme Court since August 2021. It will take the number of women judges to two in the Supreme Court, which currently has only one woman judge — Justice BV Nagarathna. Four more judges are due to retire later this year.
The Collegium’s recommendation came barely 10 days after President Droupadi Murmu promulgated an ordinance to increase the number of Supreme Court Judges from 34 to 38, including the CJI.
In an important decision, the Union Cabinet had on May 5 approved a proposal to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court from 34 to 38 (including the CJI)
The government maintained that the increase in the number of judges will allow the Supreme Court to function more efficiently and effectively, ensuring speedy justice.
As of March 31, 2026, the total pendency in the Supreme Court touched a record high of 93,143 cases.
