NEW DELHI — In a major development for the Indian judiciary, the President of India has appointed five new judges to the Supreme Court of India. The official announcement was shared by Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Union Minister of Law and Justice, via a social media post on June 1, 2026.
The post confirms that the appointments were made in accordance with the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India. The decisions were finalized following a formal consultation process with the Chief Justice of India.
The New Appointees
The elevation includes four sitting Chief Justices from various High Courts across the country and one senior member of the bar:
- Shri Justice Sheel Nagu: Elevated from his position as Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana.
- Shri Justice Shree Chandrashekhar: Elevated from his position as Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay.
- Shri Justice Saneev Sachdeva: Elevated from his position as Chief Justice of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh.
- Shri Justice Arun Palli: Elevated from his position as Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
- Smt. Venkita Subramani Mohana: Appointed directly from the bar, where she has been serving as a Senior Advocate.
The addition of these five legal minds is expected to significantly aid the Supreme Court in addressing its heavy caseload and filling key vacancies. The inclusion of an experienced Senior Advocate directly from the bar alongside seasoned regional Chief Justices reflects a diverse approach to bolstering the apex court’s judicial strength.
Government Ordinance Expands Court Capacity
These appointments come on the heels of legislative restructuring aimed at tackling judicial backlogs. On May 16, 2026, President Droupadi Murmu promulgated the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026.
The government-passed ordinance officially enhanced the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court, raising the maximum limit from 34 to 38 judges (including the Chief Justice of India). This expansion cleared the path for immediate inductions to bolster the court’s processing power before upcoming sessions.
Impact on Vacancies and the Line of CJI Succession
While the influx of five new judges brings the functional strength of the court to 37, vacancies are still looming on the horizon. The court is preparing for further structural shifts this month, notably with the upcoming retirement of Justice Pankaj Mithal on June 16, 2026 (alongside Justice J.K. Maheshwari, who demits office later in June).
Legal experts tracking the court’s seniority ranks note that none of the five new appointees will alter or affect the existing line of succession for the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The pre-established timeline for future CJIs remains firmly intact, as the new judges enter positions lower on the institutional seniority ladder.
Concluding his announcement, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal extended his best wishes to the newly appointed judges as they prepare to take their oaths and assume their roles in the highest court of the land.
