Supreme Court of India has inducted five new judges, who were administered the oath of office by the Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant. These appointments were approved by Centre based on recommendations of Supreme Court Collegium, marking a significant step toward strengthening the judiciary’s capacity.
Background
- The appointments follow an increase in the Court’s sanctioned strength from 33 to 37 judges (excluding the CJI)
- This was done through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, promulgated on May 16, 2026
- Objective of expansion:
- Address backlog of over 93,000 pending cases
- Enable more frequent Constitution Bench sittings
Key Highlights
- Appointments approved by the President of India under Article 124(2) of the Constitution
- Based on recommendations of the Supreme Court Collegium headed by the CJI
- Includes elevation of four High Court Chief Justices and one senior advocate
Newly Appointed Judges
- Justice Sheel Nagu – Chief Justice, Punjab & Haryana High Court
- Justice Shree Chandrashekhar – Chief Justice, Bombay High Court
- Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva – Chief Justice, Madhya Pradesh High Court
- Justice Arun Palli – Chief Justice, J&K and Ladakh High Court
- Venkita Subramani Mohana – Appointed as Supreme Court Judge
Objective of Expansion
- Improve judicial efficiency
- Reduce case pendency
- Facilitate regular functioning of Constitution Benches
- Strengthen institutional capacity of the apex court
Significance
- Reflects proactive steps to address judicial backlog crisis
- Enhances the Court’s ability to handle complex constitutional matters
- Strengthens the collegium-based appointment system