Five new Supreme Court judges sworn in, strength increases to 37

The Supreme Court hired five new justices on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, increasing its task force to 37 justices, with only one position remaining vacant.

The appointments come soon after the Union Government, through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, increased the sanctioned strength of the Court from 33 to 37 judges, excluding the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The regulations, published on May 16, were intended to address the Court’s growing backlog of more than 93,000 cases and facilitate the regular convening of the Constitution. Benches.

CJI Surya Kant administered the oath of office to former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Sheel Nagu, former Chief Justice of Bombay High Court Shree Chandrashekhar, former Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court Sanjeev Sachdeva, former Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court and Ladakh Arun Palli and Senior Advocate VS Mohana.

Senior advocate Mohana’s elevation to the bench is particularly significant as it increases the number of women judges on the Supreme Court Bench, which currently has only one woman judge, Justice BV Nagarathna. She also became the second woman to be directly elevated from the Bar to the Supreme Court after Justice Indu Malhotra in 2018.

The swearing-in ceremony, attended by Supreme Court judges and Bar Association members, marked the first appointments to the high court recommended by the panel headed by CJI Kant. Following his assumption of office as the 53rd CJI in November last year, the Chief Justice had identified reducing the Supreme Court’s pendency as one of his top priorities.

The bench had on May 27 recommended elevation of four Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and senior advocate V. Mohana to the apex court. The recommendations were then forwarded to the Union Government for approval and issuance of appointment orders by the President.

The new appointments come at a time when the Supreme Court is trying to adapt to its expanded sanctions power while also preparing for a series of retirements. Justice Pankaj Mithal will retire on June 6, followed by Justice JK Maheshwari on June 28, Justice Sanjay Karol on August 28 and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma on November 29. The latest inductions are therefore expected to help maintain the court’s workforce during the tenure of CJI Kant, who will retire in February 2027.

The recommendations made by the bench comprising CJI Kant and Justices Vikram Nath, JK Maheshwari, BV Nagarathna and MM Sundresh were also seen as an attempt to balance regional representation in the Bench and improve gender diversity.

On June 1, the Union government officially notified the appointments. Announcing the decision on X, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said that the President appointed the five judges under Article 124(2) of the Constitution after consulting the CJI.

new appointments

Ms. Mohana graduated from Coimbatore Government Law College in 1988 as part of the inaugural batch of the five-year law programme. After starting his career under advocate M. Panchapakesan, he moved to New Delhi and trained in the chambers of Justice Indu Malhotra, then practicing lawyer and senior advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan. Over the years, he has developed a significant practice before the Supreme Court and other forums and earned appointment as a senior advocate by the apex court in 2015.

Justice Sheel Nagu joins the Supreme Court from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where he served as Chief Justice. His judicial career began in the Madhya Pradesh High Court, where he rose as a judge in 2011. He was later appointed as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2024.

Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, who served as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, was elevated as a judge of the Jharkhand High Court in 2013. He later served as Deputy Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court before being appointed Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court last year.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, who recently took over as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, was earlier a judge in the Delhi High Court and was serving there since his elevation in 2013. He had significant experience in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court before being elevated to the bench.

Justice Arun Palli, who presided over the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, began his legal career in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1988 and was appointed senior advocate in 2007. He was elevated as a judge in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2013 and was appointed Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court last year.

It was published – 02 June 2026 08:06 IST