Supreme Court Gets Five New Judges, Strength Rises Close to Full Capacity

In a major development for India’s judiciary, five new judges were appointed to the Supreme Court, taking the apex court a step closer to its newly expanded sanctioned strength and boosting its capacity to deal with a growing backlog of cases.

The appointments were notified by the Union Law Ministry days after the Supreme Court Collegium recommended the names for elevation to the country’s highest court.

The five appointees are Senior Advocate Venkita Subramani Mohana, Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, and Justice Arun Palli, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

With these appointments, the Supreme Court’s working strength will rise to 37 judges, just one short of its newly increased sanctioned strength of 38 judges.

The appointments assume significance as they come at a time when courts across the country continue to grapple with a massive pendency of cases. The expansion of the Supreme Court bench is expected to help speed up hearings, reduce delays and enable the constitution of more Constitution Benches to hear important legal and constitutional matters.

The names were recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium on May 27. The Collegium was headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, making it one of the first major recommendations under his leadership after taking charge as the country’s top judge.

Among the newly appointed judges, Justice Shree Chandrashekhar has served in several important judicial positions and was elevated as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court earlier. Justice Sheel Nagu has headed the Punjab and Haryana High Court, while Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva has served as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Justice Arun Palli has been leading the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Senior Advocate Venkita Subramani Mohana’s elevation is also notable, as appointments from the Bar directly to the Supreme Court are relatively uncommon.

The appointments follow the Centre’s recent decision to increase the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 34 to 38 judges through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026.

The move is being seen as part of a broader effort to strengthen the judiciary and improve the efficiency of the country’s highest court. Legal experts believe the addition of five judges will not only help manage the heavy workload but also bring greater diversity of experience and expertise to the Supreme Court bench.

With only one vacancy now remaining, the apex court is set to function at near-full strength, providing a significant boost to India’s judicial system at a time when timely delivery of justice remains a key challenge.

Read More: Court Grants 7 Days Police Custody To Four Pak-D-Company Linked Terror Accused