The Supreme Court Collegium approved twelve judicial appointment proposals across the Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab and Haryana High Courts, including promotions of judicial officers, elevation of advocates to the bench, and regularization of additional judges to strengthen judicial capacity.
The Union Government notified the appointment of five new Supreme Court judges Senior Advocate V. M. Mohana, Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, Justice Sheel Nagu, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Arun Palli following Collegium recommendations, strengthening the apex court and addressing judicial vacancies to ensure efficient administration of justice across the country.
The Supreme Court sought the Central government’s response on a PIL highlighting large-scale vacancies in the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, including unfilled member and staff posts across benches nationwide, while seeking assistance from Attorney General R Venkataramani in addressing concerns over tribunal functioning.
The Delhi High Court dismissed a PIL regarding judicial vacancies, clarifying that judicial appointments are high-level constitutional roles, not regular government jobs. The court acknowledged ongoing efforts to address the judge shortage, which currently leaves the Delhi High Court with only 36 judges against a sanctioned strength of 60, impacting timely justice delivery.
The Supreme Court of India expressed concern over nearly 7 lakh pending criminal appeals across high courts, especially noting the severe under-staffing in the Allahabad High Court, which currently operates with only 79 of its sanctioned 160 judges. The court urged the central government to expedite judicial appointments for timely justice delivery.
The 2025 India Justice Report reveals a severe shortage of judges in India, with only 15 per million people, far below the recommended 50. The report highlights high vacancy rates, especially in high courts, and significant case backlogs. Furthermore, it emphasizes the need for urgent reforms and increased diversity in the judiciary.
