Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai administers the oath to Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Vipul M Pancholi as Supreme Court judges, amid collegium controversies and debates over judicial appointments.
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NEW DELHI: A swearing-in ceremony was held today at the Supreme Court of India, where Justices Alok Aradhe and Vipul Manubhai Pancholi took oath as judges of the apex court. The oath of office was administered by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, marking their formal elevation to the Supreme Court. The ceremony began at 10:30 a.m. and was broadcast live on the Supreme Court website and YouTube, allowing citizens across the country to witness the landmark event.
Before their elevation, Justice Alok Aradhe served as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, where he made notable contributions in constitutional and civil law. Justice Vipul Pancholi, the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, is recognized for his handling of a wide range of cases, particularly with a focus on constitutional interpretation and judicial discipline. Their induction adds further experience and judicial expertise to the highest court in the country.
The appointments followed the Supreme Court collegium’s recommendation on 25 August 2025, headed by CJI B.R. Gavai. The Central Government approved the recommendations on Wednesday, bringing the Supreme Court to its full sanctioned strength of 34 judges, including the Chief Justice of India.
Justice Pancholi’s elevation is especially significant, as he is expected to become the Chief Justice of India in October 2031, following the retirement of Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and likely serve until October 2033.
The collegium that made the recommendation comprised CJI B.R. Gavai and Justices Surya Kant, J.K. Maheshwari, Vikram Nath, and B.V. Nagarathna. Notably, Justice B.V. Nagarathna dissented from Justice Pancholi’s elevation, raising concerns that it could be “counter-productive” to the judiciary and potentially weaken the credibility of the collegium system.
She also pointed out that several judges outrank Justice Pancholi and could have been considered for elevation. Justice Nagarathna herself is set to become the first woman Chief Justice of India in September 2027.
Justice Nagarathna’s Dissent
A major point of contention arises from reports that Justice B.V. Nagarathna, the only woman member of the collegium, dissented from the recommendation of Justice Pancholi.
- Justice Nagarathna is said to have strongly opposed his elevation, stating it would be “counter-productive” to the administration of justice and would erode the credibility of the collegium system.
- Her dissent highlighted that several meritorious and senior judges were bypassed, raising questions about the principle of seniority in judicial appointments.
- Notably, she reportedly pointed out that Justice Pancholi’s future tenure as Chief Justice of India (CJI) would not serve the institution’s best interests.
Despite her request, her dissent note has not been made public on the Supreme Court’s website, a move CJAR has termed as “retrogression in transparency.”
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