The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the elevation of four High Court Chief Justices and a senior advocate as judges of the apex court. The recommendations include Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Justice Arun Palli, Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, and senior advocate V. Mohana. These recommendations align with the Centre’s efforts to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court due to the growing backlog of cases.
Justice Nagu, who previously served as a judge in the Madhya Pradesh High Court, assumed the role of Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in July 2024. Justice Chandrashekhar, who was a judge in the Jharkhand High Court, became the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court in January 2025. Justice Sachdeva, who started as an Additional Judge in the Delhi High Court, later became the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in July 2025. Justice Palli, who served in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, was appointed Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court in April 2025.
Senior advocate Mohana, known for handling various constitutional, civil, and service matters in the Supreme Court, has also been recommended for elevation. 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 tackle the backlog of cases and enhance the speed of justice delivery. This move follows the Union Cabinet’s approval to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.
