CJI Surya Kant Administers Oath to 5 Judges; Supreme Court strength reaches historic high

Supreme Court expands to record strength as five new judges take oath, including Justice V Mohana, marking historic elevation of women and senior jurists across High Courts to India’s top constitutional court.

New Delhi: In a significant development for the Indian judiciary, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Tuesday administered the oath of office to five new judges of the Supreme Court. The swearing-in ceremony took place in the Supreme Court premises, marking an expansion in the court’s working strength to 37 judges, the highest ever recorded.

New Appointments from High Courts and Bar

The newly inducted judges are Justices Sheel Nagu, Shree Chandrashekhar, Sanjeev Sachdeva, Arun Palli, and senior advocate V Mohana. With these appointments, the Supreme Court now stands just one short of its revised sanctioned strength of 38 judges, including the Chief Justice.

The Centre had approved their elevation following recommendations from the Supreme Court Collegium, which had cleared the names in late May. The appointments were processed within days of approval.

Strength Expansion After Legal Amendment

The increase in sanctioned strength came after the government recently promulgated an ordinance raising the Supreme Court’s strength from 34 to 38 judges. The move is aimed at addressing increasing case pendency and improving judicial efficiency.

Profiles of the New Judges

Justice Sheel Nagu, formerly Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, brings decades of judicial experience, including his work in multiple High Courts and committees.

Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, recently Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, has served in Jharkhand and Rajasthan High Courts and has been part of key judicial committees.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, a senior advocate before elevation, served as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court after earlier judgeship in Delhi High Court.

Justice Arun Palli, former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, has long experience in the Punjab and Haryana judiciary.

Justice V Mohana, a senior advocate elevated directly from the Bar, becomes only the second woman in India to achieve this distinction after Justice Indu Malhotra.

Gender Representation and Future Line-Up

With Justice Mohana’s elevation, the Supreme Court will now have two sitting women judges, alongside Justice B V Nagarathna, who is next in line to become Chief Justice of India in 2027.

Two sitting judges are also set to retire later this month, keeping the court’s composition dynamic