[CLSTR]
< Back to situation

[REVISION HISTORY]

India completes permanent leadership for all High Courts

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-07 07:36 UTC → 2026-09-10 17:44 UTC · added removed

The Indian government has appointed new Chief Justices to eight High Courts, a move that ensures all 25 High Courts in the country now have permanent leadership. These appointments followed recommendations from the Supreme Court Collegium. In Rajasthan, Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal, formerly of the Chhattisgarh High Court, was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court on September 7, 2026, in Jaipur. His appointment follows a period of instability and controversy involving Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, who faced allegations from Supreme Court Justice Sandeep Mehta regarding the “misuse of administrative powers, nepotism, and the manipulation of case listings.” Sharma had previously described these claims as “baseless and motivated by personal enmity.” Political friction persists in Punjab regarding the appointment of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, passed a resolution opposing the appointment, alleging the Centre bypassed constitutional norms and the Memorandum of Procedure by failing to consult the state government. Despite these objections, Justice Mishra was sworn in on September 7, 2026, in Chandigarh. Other significant appointments include Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati as Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, Justice Valluri Kameswar Rao for the Patna High Court, and Justice Ravindra V Ghuge for the Calcutta High Court. Following these leadership appointments, the Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, has recommended further judicial elevations. These include eight judicial officers for the Delhi High Court, three individuals for the Karnataka High Court, Yash Paul Bourney for the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, and three candidates for the Jharkhand High Court.

Versions

  1. 2026-09-10 17:44 UTC India completes permanent leadership for all High Courts
  2. 2026-09-07 07:36 UTC India completes permanent leadership for all High Courts
  3. 2026-09-07 04:23 UTC India appoints eight new High Court Chief Justices
  4. 2026-09-06 13:03 UTC India appoints eight new High Court Chief Justices
  5. 2026-09-06 00:56 UTC Indian judicial appointments and High Court leadership

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.