The Central Government has notified the appointment of two advocates — Amitabh Rai and Rajiv Lochan Shukla — as Judges of the Allahabad High Court, marking a significant addition to the country’s largest High Court by strength.
Few days back Centre cleared one more appointment for Allahabad High Court as Shri Arun Kumar, Advocate, who has now taken oath as Judge of Allahabad High Court. This recommendation has came to be accepted after two years of recommendation of collegium.
Collegium Recommendation
On March 25, 2025, the Supreme Court Collegium had recommended the elevation of both advocates to the Bench of the Allahabad High Court. The Collegium, headed at that time by then Chief Justice of India Justice Sanjeev Khanna, assessed the professional merit, integrity, and service record of the candidates before forwarding their names to the Union Government for approval.
Government Notification
Acting upon the Collegium’s recommendation, the Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification formalising the appointments. Both Amitabh Rai and Rajiv Lochan Shukla will initially serve as Additional Judges, a position typically for a two-year tenure, before their possible confirmation as permanent judges subject to performance and conduct review.
More Recommendations Awaiting Approval
In a recent move to strengthen the Allahabad High Court further, the Supreme Court Collegium has also recommended 26 more names for appointment as judges. This recommendation is currently pending consideration before the Central Government.
Significance for the High Court
The Allahabad High Court, one of the oldest and largest in the country, has been grappling with a high pendency of cases. The induction of new judges is expected to strengthen judicial capacity and provide much-needed relief to litigants awaiting adjudication. The appointments also reflect the continued effort to fill vacancies in High Courts across India, which remain a persistent concern for the judiciary.
