New Delhi – The Supreme Court Collegium, in a meeting held on August 25, 2025, has recommended the elevation of two senior High Court Chief Justices to the apex court. The Collegium has proposed the names of Justice Alok Aradhe, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, and Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi, Chief Justice of the High Court of Judicature at Patna.
The recommendation, if accepted by the Central Government, will bring the Supreme Court to its full sanctioned strength of 34 judges. The decision was taken by the five-member Collegium, which includes the Chief Justice of India and the four next senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.
Background of the Recommendation
The Supreme Court of India currently has vacancies that need to be filled to maintain its full working strength and manage its caseload. The process of appointment of judges to the Supreme Court is initiated by the Collegium. As per the Memorandum of Procedure, the Chief Justice of India initiates the proposal and consults the Collegium. The recommendation is then sent to the Union Minister of Law and Justice, who forwards it to the Prime Minister for advice to the President of India, who makes the final appointments.
The statement issued by the Supreme Court on August 25, 2025, formally announced the recommendation for the elevation of the two Chief Justices.
Profile of Recommended Justices
Mr. Justice Alok Aradhe
Justice Alok Aradhe was born on April 13, 1964. He enrolled as an advocate on July 12, 1988, and practiced in the High Court of Madhya Pradesh at Jabalpur, dealing with civil, constitutional, arbitration, and company matters. He was designated as a Senior Advocate in April 2007.
His judicial career began with his appointment as an Additional Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on December 29, 2009, and he became a Permanent Judge on February 15, 2011. He was later transferred to the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir in September 2016, where he also served as the Acting Chief Justice. Subsequently, he was transferred to the Karnataka High Court in November 2018 and served as its Acting Chief Justice from July to October 2022. He was appointed Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court in July 2023 before being transferred as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. His parent High Court is the High Court of Madhya Pradesh.
Mr. Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi
Born on May 28, 1968, in Ahmedabad, Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi began his legal practice in the High Court of Gujarat in September 1991. He served as an Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor at the Gujarat High Court for seven years. He has experience in various branches of law, including criminal, civil, service, and constitutional law.
Justice Pancholi was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Gujarat High Court on October 1, 2014, and was confirmed as a permanent judge on June 10, 2016. After serving for nearly a decade in the Gujarat High Court, his parent court, he was transferred to the Patna High Court, where he was appointed as the Chief Justice..
