Centre Appoints Five New Supreme Court Judges

Centre Appoints Five New Supreme Court Judges: Strength Reaches Historic High of 37 In a significant development for India's judicial system, the Cent

Centre Appoints Five New Supreme Court Judges: Strength Reaches Historic High of 37

In a significant development for India's judicial system, the Central Government has approved the appointment of five new judges to the Supreme Court of India under Article 124(2) of the Constitution. The appointments increase the Supreme Court's working strength to 37 judges, just one short of its newly enhanced sanctioned strength of 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

The appointments were made based on the recommendations of the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. The move is expected to strengthen the functioning of the apex court, reduce case pendency, improve judicial efficiency, and facilitate the constitution of more Constitution Benches to hear important constitutional matters.

The newly appointed judges are:

• Justice Sheel Nagu

• Justice Shree Chandrashekhar

• Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva

• Justice Arun Palli

• Senior Advocate V. Mohana

These appointments are being viewed as an important step toward improving judicial capacity, enhancing regional representation, and promoting diversity within the higher judiciary.

Background: Expansion of Supreme Court Strength

The appointments come shortly after the promulgation of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026.

President Droupadi Murmu approved the ordinance increasing the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 34 judges to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India.

The government justified the expansion on several grounds:

• Rising case backlog

• Increasing litigation across the country

• Need for speedy justice delivery

• Requirement for more Constitution Benches

• Strengthening judicial efficiency

The decision was noteworthy because the increase in judicial strength was implemented through a Presidential Ordinance, a relatively rare route for expanding the composition of the Supreme Court.

With the latest appointments, the Supreme Court now has its highest-ever working strength of 37 judges.

Constitutional Provision: Article 124(2)

Article 124(2) of the Constitution of India governs the appointment of Supreme Court judges.

According to the provision:

Every judge of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal after consultation with such judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts as the President may deem necessary, and consultation with the Chief Justice of India is mandatory.

Over time, the Collegium system evolved through various Supreme Court judgments, giving the judiciary a decisive role in judicial appointments.

Today, recommendations made by the Collegium form the basis of appointments to the Supreme Court and High Courts.

The Supreme Court Collegium Under CJI Surya Kant

The recommendation for these appointments came from the Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.

The Collegium resolution dated 27 May 2026 was the first major recommendation made after Justice Surya Kant assumed office as Chief Justice of India in November 2025.

Like previous Collegiums headed by former Chief Justices B.R. Gavai and Sanjiv Khanna, the deliberations and internal discussions leading to the recommendations were not publicly disclosed.

The Collegium selected judges based on multiple criteria including:

• Merit

• Seniority

• Regional representation

• Diversity

• Judicial performance

• Integrity

The recommendations were subsequently approved by the Union Government.

Justice Sheel Nagu

Career Overview

Justice Sheel Nagu was serving as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court before his elevation to the Supreme Court.

Born on 1 January 1965, he enrolled with the Bar Council of Madhya Pradesh in October 1987 and built a distinguished legal career primarily focusing on civil and constitutional matters.

Judicial Journey

His judicial career includes:

• Additional Judge of Madhya Pradesh High Court (2011)

• Permanent Judge of Madhya Pradesh High Court (2013)

• Acting Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court

• Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court

Justice Nagu's appointment further strengthens the representation of judges who have served in the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

Interestingly, his elevation comes only a few months before his retirement scheduled for 31 December 2026.

Justice Shree Chandrashekhar

Career Overview

Justice Shree Chandrashekhar was serving as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court before his elevation.

Born on 25 May 1965, he enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1993 and developed expertise in both civil and criminal law.

Distinguished Contributions

Before joining the bench, he appeared in more than 140 reported Supreme Court judgments.

His judicial career includes:

• Additional Judge, Jharkhand High Court (2013)

• Permanent Judge, Jharkhand High Court (2014)

• Chief Justice, Bombay High Court

His appointment is particularly significant because it restores representation from Jharkhand in the Supreme Court, which previously had no sitting judge from the state.

He was also a member of the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee that examined the Justice Yashwant Varma matter.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva

Educational and Professional Background

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva was serving as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court before his appointment to the apex court.

Born on 26 December 1964, he enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1988.

He is an alumnus of the prestigious Campus Law Centre of Delhi University.

Distinguished Alumni Network

Campus Law Centre has produced several Supreme Court judges including:

• Former CJI D.Y. Chandrachud

• Former CJI Sanjiv Khanna

• Justice S.K. Kaul

• Justice S.R. Bhat

• Justice Hrishikesh Roy

• Justice B.V. Nagarathna

• Justice Manmohan

His appointment increases Delhi High Court representation in the Supreme Court from one judge to two judges.

Justice Arun Palli

Legal Background

Justice Arun Palli belongs to a distinguished family of legal professionals from Patiala.

Before joining the judiciary, he served as Additional Advocate General for Punjab between 2004 and 2007.

Judicial Career

His journey includes:

• Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court (2013)

• Chief Justice, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court

His appointment helps maintain strong representation from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the Supreme Court.

Currently, Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice A.G. Masih also hail from the same High Court.

Justice Palli's elevation comes only a few months before his scheduled retirement.

Senior Advocate V. Mohana: A Historic Appointment

Perhaps the most notable appointment among the five is that of Senior Advocate Venkita Subramani Mohana.

Why Is Her Appointment Historic?

She becomes:

• Only the second woman advocate in Indian history to be elevated directly from the Bar to the Supreme Court.

• The first woman to receive such an elevation since Justice Indu Malhotra in 2018.

• The first woman appointed to the Supreme Court since August 2021.

Direct Elevation from the Bar

Direct appointments from the Bar are extremely rare.

Notable examples include:

• Justice Indu Malhotra

• Justice P.S. Narasimha

• Justice K.V. Viswanathan

Mohana's appointment reinforces the principle that outstanding legal practitioners can directly join the highest court without first serving as High Court judges.

Significance of the Appointments

1. Enhanced Judicial Capacity

The Supreme Court continues to face a substantial backlog of cases.

The increase in strength to 37 judges is expected to:

• Reduce pendency

• Speed up case disposal

• Improve efficiency

• Facilitate timely hearings

2. More Constitution Benches

Constitution Benches consisting of five or more judges hear matters involving significant constitutional interpretation.

A larger judicial strength allows:

• More Constitution Benches

• Faster adjudication of constitutional disputes

• Better management of regular appeals

3. Improved Regional Representation

The appointments improve geographic diversity within the Supreme Court.

Notable gains include:

• Restoration of Jharkhand representation

• Continued representation from Punjab and Haryana

• Strong presence from Madhya Pradesh and Delhi judicial systems

4. Advancement of Gender Diversity

The elevation of V. Mohana is a major step toward improving female representation in the higher judiciary.

Despite progress, women remain significantly underrepresented in the Supreme Court.

Following her appointment, the Supreme Court will have two women judges among its 37-member strength.

5. Strengthening Direct Bar Representation

Direct appointments from the Bar bring experienced advocates into the judiciary.

Such appointments contribute:

• Diverse legal perspectives

• Extensive courtroom experience

• Expertise in constitutional and commercial law

Future Appointments Expected

The current expansion may not be the final round of appointments in 2026.

Two Supreme Court judges are scheduled to retire during June 2026.

As a result, the Collegium is expected to recommend additional names in July 2026 after the conclusion of the court's six-week Partial Working Days.

Observers expect future appointments to focus on:

• Filling upcoming vacancies

• Enhancing gender diversity

• Improving regional balance

• Maintaining judicial efficiency

Conclusion

The appointment of five new Supreme Court judges marks one of the most significant developments in India's judicial system in recent years. By increasing the court's working strength to 37 judges, the government and judiciary have taken a major step toward addressing long-standing concerns regarding case backlog and judicial capacity.

The appointments also carry broader institutional significance. The elevation of Senior Advocate V. Mohana represents a milestone for gender representation and direct Bar appointments, while the inclusion of judges from diverse regional backgrounds strengthens the Supreme Court's national character.

As the apex court approaches its full sanctioned strength of 38 judges, attention will now turn to how effectively the expanded bench can tackle pending cases, hear important constitutional matters, and improve access to timely justice for millions of citizens across India.