Centre Clears 5 New Supreme Court Judges
In a swift move to tackle mounting backlogs, the Central Government has cleared the appointment of five new judges to the Supreme Court of India. Announced on Monday by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, the appointments bring the working strength of the apex court to 37 judges—leaving it just a single seat shy of its newly expanded sanctioned limit of 38.
The President of India signed off on the elevations under Article 124(2) of the Constitution, acting on recommendations made by the Supreme Court Collegium just days prior. This marks the first major round of judicial appointments under the leadership of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who took the helm in November 2025.
Shifting the Goalposts: The 2026 Ordinance
To understand why this expansion matters, we have to look at the math. Until recently, the maximum number of judges allowed on the Supreme Court bench was capped at 34. However, the government recently moved to increase that ceiling to 38 through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026.
By immediately filling five positions, the government and the judiciary are sending a clear signal: the focus is squarely on setting up more regular Constitution Benches and chipping away at the thousands of pending cases clogging the apex court.
Who Are the New Faces on the Bench?
The new cohort brings a strategic mix of geographic representation, seniority, and a historic elevation from the Supreme Court Bar itself.
| Appointee | Former Position / Background | Key Takeaway |
| Justice Sheel Nagu | Chief Justice, Punjab & Haryana High Court | Enrolled in 1987; known for extensive experience in civil and constitutional law. |
| Justice Shree Chandrashekhar | Chief Justice, Bombay High Court | Previously served across Jharkhand and Rajasthan before heading the Bombay HC. |
| Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva | Chief Justice, Madhya Pradesh High Court | An Advocate-on-Record since 1995; set for roughly a three-and-a-half-year SC tenure. |
| Justice Arun Palli | Chief Justice, J&K and Ladakh High Court | Brings a robust track record from prominent northern High Courts. |
| Senior Adv. V. Mohana | Senior Advocate, Supreme Court Bar | Historic Pick: Only the second woman in India’s history to be elevated directly from the Bar to the SC. |
What makes this round of appointments genuinely fascinating isn’t just the speed at which the Centre processed the Collegium’s May 27 recommendations—it’s the selection of Senior Advocate V. Mohana. Direct elevation from the Bar to the Supreme Court is an exceptionally rare honor, and Mohana is only the second woman ever to achieve it, following Justice Indu Malhotra in 2018.
While adding four seasoned High Court Chief Justices provides immediate operational muscle to handle complex appellate loads, bringing in top-tier legal minds directly from the Bar injects a distinct, fresh perspective into judicial deliberations. With 37 out of 38 seats filled, the highest court in the land is now at its most potent operational capacity in years.
For a deeper dive into how the parliament changes judicial strength and the history behind these expansions, check out this video breakdown on the Supreme Court Judicial Reform and Capacity Expansion. This video is highly relevant because it outlines the structural changes brought by the 2026 Amendment Bill, explaining how adding judicial seats directly targets the court’s pendency crisis.