In a significant move to fill existing vacancies in the Supreme Court, the Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai has proposed the elevation of three distinguished High Court judges to the nation's highest judicial bench. If approved, these appointments will restore the Supreme Court to its full sanctioned strength of 34 judges.
The judges recommended for elevation include:
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Justice NV Anjaria, currently serving as Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court. Originally from the Gujarat High Court, Justice Anjaria began his legal career in 1988 under the mentorship of Senior Advocate SN Shelat. Over the years, he has handled a broad spectrum of cases spanning constitutional, civil, labour, and service law. He was elevated to the Gujarat High Court in 2011 and took charge as Chief Justice of Karnataka in February 2024.
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Justice Vijay Bishnoi, Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court and hailing from the Rajasthan High Court, began his legal journey in 1989. With a career deeply rooted in civil, criminal, constitutional, service, and election law, Justice Bishnoi has also served as Additional Central Government Standing Counsel and represented several key Rajasthan government departments. He became a permanent judge of the Rajasthan High Court in 2015 and assumed the role of Chief Justice at Gauhati in February 2024.
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Justice Atul S. Chandurkar, a judge of the Bombay High Court, commenced his practice in 1988 and later moved to Nagpur where he built a diverse legal practice. Notably, he is also the author of two legal commentaries on municipal and rent control laws in Maharashtra. He was elevated to the Bombay High Court bench in 2013.
The recommendations come at a crucial time as the Supreme Court is currently operating with 31 judges following the retirements of Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Abhay S. Oka, and Justice Bela M. Trivedi. With these three elevations, the apex court is poised to return to full strength, ensuring smoother and more efficient judicial functioning.
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