In a major judicial reshuffle, the Central government on Monday approved the appointment of new Chief Justices (CJs) for five prominent High Courts — Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Gauhati, and Patna.
The appointments, made on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium led by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, are as follows:
- Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
- Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan will serve as the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court.
- Justice Vibhu Bakhru has been elevated as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court.
- Justice Ashutosh Kumar will take over as the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court.
- Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court.
The Supreme Court Collegium had forwarded these recommendations after assessing the vacancies and leadership needs of the respective High Courts. With these appointments, the government has sought to ensure timely leadership transitions and address the growing case pendency in several High Courts.
The notifications formalizing these appointments are likely to be issued soon, after which the new Chief Justices will take oath in their respective High Courts.
