Ten new judges took oath at the Madhya Pradesh High Court, increasing its strength to 44. The appointments include five advocates and five judicial officers sworn in today.
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MADHYA PRADESH: Ten new judges were sworn in today at the Madhya Pradesh High Court, significantly boosting its working strength. The oath-taking ceremony marked a momentous occasion, particularly for the legal fraternity, which has long awaited reinforcement in the state’s top judicial body.
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The newly appointed judges include experienced advocates and judicial officers, reflecting a balance between bar and bench backgrounds. Those appointed as permanent judges are:
- Justice Pushpendra Yadav
- Justice Anand Singh Bahrawat
- Justice Ajay Kumar Nirankari
- Justice Jai Kumar Pillai
- Justice Himanshu Joshi
- Justice Ramkumar Choubey
- Justice Rajesh Kumar Gupta
Meanwhile, Justice Alok Awasthi, Justice Ratnesh Chandra Singh Bisen, and Justice Bhagwati Prasad Sharma have been appointed as additional judges for a period of two years.
With this fresh induction, the working strength of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has increased from 34 to 44 judges, against a sanctioned capacity of 53. However, this number will decrease in August, with two sitting judges retiring on the 9th and 13th of the month.
The appointments were notified by the Central government on July 28, acting on the recommendations made earlier this year by the Supreme Court Collegium, in January for some, and in July for others. The diverse composition of the new batch reflects a considered effort to balance seniority, merit, and representation across the legal landscape.
Notably, the Advocate General (AG) of Madhya Pradesh, Prashant Singh, was present at the ceremony and praised the decision. He expressed particular joy at the elevation of Justice Pushpendra Yadav, with whom he has shared a professional rapport.
Justice Yadav has had an illustrious career in public service, having held positions such as Panel Counsel, Government Advocate, Deputy Advocate General, Additional Advocate General, and Deputy Solicitor General of India. His reputation for fairness and legal practice has earned the trust of both the Bench and the Bar.
The appointment of Justice Rajesh Kumar Gupta was not without controversy. A former judicial officer, who had once accused him of sexual harassment, resigned from service shortly after his elevation. However, Justice Gupta has consistently denied the allegations, calling them baseless. In a statement to Bar & Bench, he emphasized his 35 years of unblemished service, asserting that no official complaint had ever been filed against him.
“I have lived my entire life like a saint… There have never been any complaints against me,”
he said.
The High Court is also set to welcome another judicial officer, Pradeep Mittal, who has been cleared for appointment as an additional judge for two years. His tenure, however, will commence on August 10, just after the retirement of one sitting judge.
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