In a significant move to reform judicial appointments, the Supreme Court collegium has approved a record 36 names for elevation as judges to various high courts across the country. This follows an unprecedented two-day round of personal interviews with 54 candidates earlier this week.
The cleared appointments span several high courts, including Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Patna, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gauhati. The collegium—comprising Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath—conducted the interviews on July 2 and 3, marking the largest single batch of face-to-face assessments in the judiciary’s history.
According to the collegium’s resolution, the recommendations include ten judges each for the high courts of Punjab & Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, four each for Telangana and Gauhati, three for Delhi, two each for Rajasthan and Patna, and one for Andhra Pradesh. As of July 1, India’s 25 high courts faced 371 vacancies out of a sanctioned strength of 1,122 judges.
The interviews represented a shift in selection strategy, prioritizing a candidate’s temperament, ethical standards, and views on constitutional issues over paper credentials alone.
“Some candidates who did not stand out in their records impressed the collegium with their clarity on constitutional values and sense of institutional responsibility,” said an official familiar with the process. “The personal interactions allowed the judges to evaluate qualities that are hard to capture on paper, like judicial acumen and moral clarity,” the official added.
Traditionally, the appointments process relied heavily on documentary vetting, intelligence inputs, and consultations with high court chief justices and the Union law ministry. However, the current collegium has pivoted toward direct engagement as a more reliable gauge of suitability.
Notably, these interviews took place during the Supreme Court’s summer recess, which has increasingly become a period of partial working days. Under Chief Justice Gavai, the court has maintained active benches to hear urgent matters while continuing with critical administrative functions such as appointments.
This evolving work ethic aligns with broader efforts to modernize judicial administration. Since late May, multiple benches have remained operational, and judges have continued writing judgments and preparing for upcoming constitution bench cases.
The latest interviews also underscore the collegium’s continuity and leadership succession. Justice Surya Kant is in line to become Chief Justice of India in November 2025, followed by Justice Vikram Nath in February 2027.
The revival of personal interviews began last year under then CJI Sanjiv Khanna, amid growing concerns about judicial conduct. The move was partly prompted by controversies such as the inflammatory remarks by Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court, which had drawn national criticism for violating principles of secularism and impartiality.
The latest, broader round of interviews cements this model as a cornerstone of the collegium’s selection process. It also comes as the judiciary grapples with further challenges, including ongoing proceedings against Justice Yashwant Varma of the Delhi High Court. In March, a sack of half-burnt cash was discovered at his residence during a fire emergency, prompting then CJI Khanna to initiate removal proceedings citing the gravity of the allegations.
By moving toward direct and rigorous personal assessments, the Supreme Court aims to strengthen transparency and accountability in judicial appointments, while balancing professional qualifications with a deeper understanding of candidates’ values and integrity.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)