President Murmu appoints eight judges as Chief Justices of High Courts
President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday appointed eight judges from various High Courts as Chief Justices of different High Courts across the country. The appointments were made in exercise of powers conferred by the Constitution of India, in consultation with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, the Ministry of Law and Justice said in a notification.
Union Law and Justice Minister Arjunram Meghwal announced the appointments on social media platform X. He stated that the President had formalised the appointments, which were notified later in the day. The new Chief Justices are expected to assume charge of their respective courts in the coming weeks.
Among the appointments, Justice Sanjay Kumar Agarwal of the Chhattisgarh High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. This appointment comes against the backdrop of a controversy involving the Acting Chief Justice of Rajasthan, Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma. The issue surfaced after Supreme Court Judge Justice Sandeep Mehta wrote to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, expressing concerns about Justice Sharma's conduct. The allegations triggered protests by lawyers in Rajasthan. Justice Sharma has denied all charges, calling them baseless, and has submitted his response to the CJI, according to his statement.
Justice Valluri Kameswar Rao of the Delhi High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge of the Bombay High Court will take charge as Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court. Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, serving in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, has been appointed Chief Justice of the same court.
Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra of the Orissa High Court will move to the Chhattisgarh High Court as its Chief Justice. Justice Alpesh Yeshwant Kogje of the Gujarat High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi of the Allahabad High Court will head the Bombay High Court. Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati of the Rajasthan High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
These appointments are part of the constitutional process for filling leadership positions in the higher judiciary. According to Article 217 of the Constitution, the Chief Justice of a High Court is appointed by the President after consultation with the Chief Justice of India and the Governor of the concerned State. In practice, recommendations are made by the Supreme Court collegium, which is headed by the Chief Justice of India and includes senior judges of the Supreme Court. The collegium's recommendations are based on seniority, merit, and other factors.
The Ministry of Law and Justice issues the formal notifications after the President's approval. The transfer of a judge from one High Court to another, as seen in several of these appointments, is a common administrative practice intended to promote judicial independence and diversity. The batch appointment of Chief Justices on a single day is also not unusual, as it helps fill multiple vacancies simultaneously.
The Chief Justice of a High Court is responsible for administrative oversight of the court and its subordinate judiciary. This includes the allocation of cases, appointment and posting of district judges, and maintenance of judicial discipline. The new appointees will bring experience from their respective High Courts to their new roles.
The Rajasthan High Court has been without a permanent Chief Justice since the retirement of the previous incumbent earlier this year. Justice Sharma, the Acting Chief Justice, has continued to handle administrative duties. The appointment of Justice Agarwal will regularise the position once he takes the oath of office. The exact dates for the swearing-in ceremonies have not been announced yet.
The appointments are effective from the date the new Chief Justices assume charge. Legal experts view such transfers as a routine yet crucial component of judicial administration, ensuring a pan-Indian perspective among High Court leadership. Until the swearing-in, the respective acting Chief Justices will continue to manage the courts.
