Supreme Court Collegium Elevates 13 Judges to Punjab and Haryana and Andhra Pradesh High Courts

The Supreme Court Collegium, in its meeting held on May 4, 2026, approved the elevation of thirteen advocates and judicial officers as judges across two High Courts. Ten names were cleared for the Punjab and Haryana High Court, including seven advocates (Monica Chhibber Sharma, Harmeet Singh Deol, Puja Chopra, Sunish Bindlish, Navdeep Singh, Divya Sharma, and Ravinder Malik) and three more names (Pravindra Singh Chauhan, Rajesh Gaur, and others) in a separate resolution. Additionally, three judicial officers were elevated to the Andhra Pradesh High Court: Smt. Sunitha Gandham, Shri Alapati Giridhar, and Shri Purushottam Kumar Chintalapudi. These appointments are part of the ongoing effort to fill vacancies across the higher judiciary.

The Collegium System: How High Court Judges Are Appointed

The appointment of High Court judges in India is governed by Article 217 of the Constitution, as interpreted through the Three Judges Cases. The Collegium system, evolved through judicial interpretation rather than legislation, places the power of recommendation with the Chief Justice of India and a group of senior Supreme Court judges. For High Court appointments, the process begins with the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court recommending names to the state government and the Governor. These recommendations are forwarded to the Union Government, which refers them to the Supreme Court Collegium for final approval. The Collegium considers factors including professional competence, integrity, legal acumen, and the need for representation from different segments of the bar and the subordinate judiciary.

Punjab and Haryana High Court Appointments

The Punjab and Haryana High Court, one of the largest High Courts in India by sanctioned strength, has been functioning with significant vacancies for several years. The ten new appointments will help reduce the judicial backlog in a court that handles cases from Punjab, Haryana, and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. The selection of advocates from diverse practice areas, including civil, criminal, constitutional, and revenue law, reflects the Collegium's effort to bring varied expertise to the Bench. Notably, the appointments include women advocates, continuing the trend of increasing gender diversity in the higher judiciary that has been a stated priority of the current Collegium.

Andhra Pradesh High Court Appointments

The three judicial officers elevated to the Andhra Pradesh High Court come from the state's subordinate judiciary. Elevation from the district judiciary ensures that the High Court benefits from judges who have extensive trial court experience, including first-hand knowledge of evidentiary proceedings, witness examination, and ground-level implementation of laws. The Constitution mandates that a proportion of High Court judges should be elevated from the subordinate judiciary, and these appointments fulfil that constitutional design. The Andhra Pradesh High Court, which serves the state from its seat in Amaravati, has been managing a substantial caseload since the bifurcation of the combined Andhra Pradesh in 2014.

Vacancy Position and Pendency Challenges

Despite regular appointments, High Courts across India continue to function below their sanctioned strength. As of early 2026, aggregate High Court vacancies across all 25 High Courts remain in the hundreds. This shortfall directly impacts disposal rates and contributes to the pendency of over 60 lakh cases across all High Courts. The Chief Justice of India has repeatedly emphasised that filling judicial vacancies is a priority, and the Collegium has been meeting more frequently to clear pending recommendations. However, the appointment process involves multiple stages including intelligence bureau clearance, state government consultation, and presidential warrant issuance, each of which can cause delays.

Practical Takeaways

The appointment of thirteen judges in a single Collegium meeting demonstrates the current pace of judicial appointments under CJI Surya Kant's tenure. For litigants in Punjab, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh, these appointments should translate into faster listing and hearing of cases over the coming months as the new judges assume charge and build their dockets. For the legal profession, the Collegium's continued practice of drawing from both the bar and the bench provides dual pathways to judicial elevation, encouraging excellence in both advocacy and judicial service. The appointments also signal the importance of maintaining a diverse and representative judiciary, with due consideration to gender, regional balance, and professional background.