The Supreme Court’s latest round of interviews reflects a shift toward a more merit-based and transparent judicial appointment process, emphasizing personal interaction over paperwork, a practice revived under former CJI Sanjiv Khanna. The Court holds 50 interview in 2 days.
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NEW DELHI: In what appears to be a marked shift in the judicial appointment process, the Supreme Court Collegium has recently conducted interviews of nearly 50 high court judge aspirants in just two days.
This development signals an evolving approach—one that favours direct, personal interaction, enabling the top judicial authorities to assess candidates beyond paper credentials.
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On Tuesday and Wednesday, Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai and Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath on the Supreme Court Bench conducted interviews with high court judicial officers and senior advocates being considered for elevation to the Bench.
These interactions were part of a broader effort to improve the quality, transparency, and accountability of the selection process for judges.
Although the Constitution doesn’t mandate interviews in judicial appointments, the move reflects a growing awareness that qualitative attributes like temperament, integrity, and communication skills cannot always be gauged from service records or written recommendations alone.
One of the Judge said,
“These interactions are intended to go beyond the written record and get a sense of the candidate’s personality, temperament and overall suitability.”
The Supreme Court Collegium has adopted a more rigorous and interactive approach in assessing candidates for appointment as High Court judges, marked by extended virtual and physical interviews. These interactions, taking place even during the court’s summer recess, aim to evaluate the candidates’ competence, ethical outlook, and alignment with constitutional values.
Unlike earlier practices that relied heavily on inputs from state governments, senior judges from the concerned High Courts, and Intelligence Bureau reports, the current Collegium emphasizes direct engagement with candidates to gain a holistic understanding of their temperament and judicial philosophy.
This shift comes in the wake of growing concerns over judicial conduct, highlighted by controversies such as the communal remarks made by Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav and the cash recovery incident involving Justice Yashwant Varma. These events have prompted the Collegium, comprising the current Chief Justice and his two successors, Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath, to reinforce the importance of judicial integrity and impartiality in the selection process.
Justice Dipankar Datta recently stressed the need to deal firmly with external interference that delay appointments. Notably, delays by the Central government in approving Collegium recommendations have led to some nominees withdrawing their consent. As of July 1, 2025, there are 371 vacancies across 25 High Courts.
Significantly, this initiative coincides with the Supreme Court’s traditional summer break, highlighting the seriousness of the exercise. It aligns with CJI Gavai’s recent move to reframe the summer vacation as “partial court working days.”
During this time, key benches, including the CJI’s, continued to hear urgent and regular matters. From May 26 to July 13, two to three benches have been operating five days a week, while other judges have been using the period to write judgments and prepare for upcoming cases.
This work ethic has now extended to the administrative domain as well, with Collegium activities being actively pursued during the recess.
As one official noted,
“The message is clear: judicial and administrative functions at the Supreme Court are no longer bound by the conventional court calendar.”
The court’s ongoing engagement, even during vacation, reflects a strong institutional commitment to maintaining momentum and accountability.
The renewed Collegium process of the Supreme Court reflects a strong commitment to transparency, integrity, and continuity in judicial appointments. Even during its summer recess, the Court’s proactive approach underscores its resolve to maintain institutional momentum and ensure only the most suitable candidates are appointed to the High Courts.
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