Union Minister of State for Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Arjun Ram Meghwal, has announced the appointment of three judicial officers as Additional Judges of the Karnataka High Court. The appointments were made by President Droupadi Murmu in consultation with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. The newly appointed Additional Judges are Justice Rajeshwari Narayana Hegde, Kedambadi Ganesh Shanthi, and Brungesh Mahadevappa.
Union Minister Meghwal extended his best wishes to the newly appointed judges. These appointments are part of an ongoing effort to strengthen the judiciary and manage the workload in High Courts nationwide. The Union Ministry of Law and Justice’s Department of Justice had previously issued a notification regarding these appointments.
Justice Hegde’s term as a judge will continue until March 17, 2028, when she reaches superannuation. Justices Shanthi and Mahadevappa have been appointed as additional judges for a two-year term. The Supreme Court Collegium recommended their appointment following a meeting held on April 14.
The Karnataka High Court currently operates with 45 judges, while its sanctioned strength is 62 judges with 17 vacancies. The Supreme Court Collegium recently recommended the elevation of four High Court Chief Justices and a senior advocate as judges of the apex court. These recommendations align with the government’s initiative to increase the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court to address the rising backlog of cases.
President Droupadi Murmu recently promulgated the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, increasing the sanctioned strength of judges in the apex court. This move aims to expedite the delivery of justice and tackle the mounting caseload. The ordinance was introduced following the Union Cabinet’s approval to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.
