Why in News?
The Centre has appointed eight new Chief Justices to High Courts across India, following recommendations of the Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal announced the appointments on 5 September 2026.
Key Appointments
- Justice Valluri Kameswar Rao: Chief Justice, Patna High Court
- Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge: Chief Justice, Calcutta High Court
- Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal: Chief Justice, Rajasthan High Court
- Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi: Chief Justice, Bombay High Court
- Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra: Chief Justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court (He was already serving as Acting Chief Justice of the same court and has now been confirmed as its permanent Chief Justice.)
- Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra: Chief Justice, Chhattisgarh High Court
- Justice Alpesh Yeshwant Kogje: Chief Justice, Madhya Pradesh High Court
- Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati: Chief Justice, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court
How Are High Court Chief Justices Appointed?
- Under Article 217 of the Constitution, judges of High Courts are formally appointed by the President of India.
- The appointments are made after consultation with the Chief Justice of India and other constitutional authorities as provided under the Constitution. The Supreme Court Collegium plays the key role in recommending appointments and transfers of judges to the higher judiciary.
About the Supreme Court Collegium
- The Collegium is a system through which senior Supreme Court judges recommend appointments and transfers of judges to the higher judiciary.
- For appointments as Chief Justices of High Courts, the Collegium considers factors such as seniority, suitability and the need for administrative continuity before sending its recommendation to the government.
