The Centre has appointed Justice Vivek Rusia as the Acting Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. This decision comes after the elevation of the current Chief Justice, Sanjeev Sachdeva, to the Supreme Court. The notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice states that Justice Rusia will now perform the duties of the Chief Justice in Madhya Pradesh.
Article 223 of the Constitution allows the President to appoint a puisne judge as Acting Chief Justice in the absence of a Chief Justice or when the Chief Justice is unable to fulfill the duties. Earlier, the Centre approved the elevation of Justice Sachdeva and three other High Court Chief Justices, along with senior advocate V. Mohana, as judges of the Supreme Court. This move was based on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium.
Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal announced the appointments of Justices Sheel Nagu, Shree Chandrashekhar, Sanjeev Sachdeva, and Arun Palli, along with senior advocate V. Mohana, to the Supreme Court. Justice Sachdeva, who was previously the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, took office as the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in July 2025.
The recent increase in the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India, aims to address case backlogs and expedite case resolutions. Justice Vivek Rusia, initially appointed as an Additional Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in April 2016, was made a permanent judge in March 2018.
