SC Collegium Recommends 9 Advocates as Calcutta High Court Judges: May 2026 Update

The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, approved the proposal for appointment of nine advocates as judges of the Calcutta High Court. The recommendations were made in resolutions passed during the Collegium's meetings held on May 11 and 12, 2026. This is one of the largest single batches of judicial appointments recommended for the Calcutta High Court in recent years, addressing the chronic vacancy problem that affects case disposal across West Bengal.

The Nine Recommended Advocates

The Collegium has recommended the elevation of the following nine advocates to the Calcutta High Court bench: Indranil Roy, Aryak Dutt, Atarup Banerjee, Sandip Kumar De, Partha Pratim Roy, Sudip Deb, Anuj Singh, Arjun Ray Mukherjee, and Rishad Medora. The recommendations will now be forwarded to the Union Government for further processing, including background checks and formal warrants of appointment.

The Collegium Appointment Process Under Indian Law

Under the Collegium system, the appointment of High Court judges involves a consultative process. The Chief Justice of the concerned High Court initiates proposals, which are then vetted by the state government and the Intelligence Bureau. The Supreme Court Collegium, consisting of the Chief Justice of India and the two senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, considers these proposals and makes its recommendations. The Constitution of India under Articles 217 and 224 provides for the appointment of High Court judges by the President of India in consultation with the Chief Justice of India.

Judicial Vacancies in the Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court, one of the three original chartered High Courts in India established in 1862, has been operating with significant vacancies. The sanctioned strength of the Calcutta High Court is 72 judges, but vacancies have consistently remained high. This batch of nine appointments represents a substantial effort to bridge the gap between the sanctioned and working strength of the court.

Other Recent Collegium Recommendations

The Collegium has been active in May 2026. It also recommended the appointment of ten advocates, including the Haryana Advocate General, as judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. These recommendations are part of CJI Surya Kant's broader push to fill judicial vacancies across India. The CJI has separately constituted a Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee to prepare a roadmap for strengthening court infrastructure, with a focus on securing Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 crore in funding.

Impact on Case Pendency and Access to Justice

Judicial vacancies directly impact case disposal rates and the fundamental right to speedy justice under Article 21 of the Constitution. Higher vacancies mean fewer benches, longer adjournment cycles, and a growing backlog of cases. The appointment of these nine judges, once they formally take oath, will allow the Calcutta High Court to constitute additional benches and potentially reduce the waiting time for litigants in West Bengal.

Key Takeaways

The Collegium's recommendation of nine advocates for the Calcutta High Court is a welcome step toward addressing judicial vacancies. Litigants and legal practitioners in West Bengal should watch for the formal appointment notifications from the Union Government, which typically follow within a few weeks of the Collegium resolution. The broader trend under CJI Surya Kant's tenure suggests an accelerated push to fill vacancies across all High Courts, which, combined with the Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee, signals a systemic approach to improving India's justice delivery capacity.