President Approves Appointment of Five New Judges to Supreme Court – Details of Appointees

<p>The <strong>President of India</strong> has signed notifications dated <strong>01 June 2026</strong> appointing five distinguished jurists to the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Supreme Court of India — The apex judicial body in India, final interpreter of the Constitution and source of law (GS2: Polity)">Supreme Court of India</span>. The appointments are made under <span class="key-term" data-definition="Article 124 of the Constitution — Provides for the establishment and composition of the Supreme Court and outlines the appointment procedure for its judges (GS2: Polity)">Article 124</span> and will take effect when the appointees assume charge.</p> <h2>Key Developments</h2> <ul> <li>Appointment of <strong>Justice Sheel Nagu</strong>, Chief Justice of the <span class="key-term" data-definition="High Court — The principal civil court of a state or group of states, having jurisdiction over appeals and original matters (GS2: Polity)">High Court of Punjab and Haryana</span>.</li> <li>Appointment of <strong>Justice Shree Chandrashekhar</strong>, Chief Justice of the <span class="key-term" data-definition="High Court — The principal civil court of a state or group of states, having jurisdiction over appeals and original matters (GS2: Polity)">High Court of Bombay</span>.</li> <li>Appointment of <strong>Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva</strong>, Chief Justice of the <span class="key-term" data-definition="High Court — The principal civil court of a state or group of states, having jurisdiction over appeals and original matters (GS2: Polity)">High Court of Madhya Pradesh</span>.</li> <li>Appointment of <strong>Justice Arun Palli</strong>, Chief Justice of the <span class="key-term" data-definition="High Court — The principal civil court of a state or group of states, having jurisdiction over appeals and original matters (GS2: Polity)">High Court of Jammu &amp; Kashmir and Ladakh</span>.</li> <li>Appointment of <strong>Smt. Venkita Subramani Mohana</strong>, a <span class="key-term" data-definition="Senior Advocate — A distinguished lawyer designated by the Supreme Court or a High Court, often appointed as a judge for their expertise (GS2: Polity)">Senior Advocate</span>, as a Judge of the Supreme Court.</li> </ul> <h2>Important Facts</h2> <p>The notifications were issued by the <span class="key-term" data-definition="President of India — The constitutional head of state who, on the advice of the Council of Ministers, appoints judges of the Supreme Court (GS2: Polity)">President of India</span> in exercise of powers under <span class="key-term" data-definition="Article 124 of the Constitution — Provides for the establishment and composition of the Supreme Court and outlines the appointment procedure for its judges (GS2: Polity)">Article 124</span>. The appointees are all serving as <span class="key-term" data-definition="Chief Justice (High Court) — The senior‑most judge of a High Court, responsible for administration and often elevated to the Supreme Court (GS2: Polity)">Chief Justices</span> of their respective High Courts, except for the senior advocate who brings extensive courtroom experience.</p> <h2>UPSC Relevance</h2> <p>Understanding the judicial appointment process is essential for <strong>GS Paper II (Polity)</strong>. The Constitution empowers the <span class="key-term" data-definition="President of India — The constitutional head of state who, on the advice of the Council of Ministers, appoints judges of the Supreme Court (GS2: Polity)">President</span> to appoint Supreme Court judges on the recommendation of the <em>Collegium</em> (Chief Justice of India and senior judges). The inclusion of a senior advocate highlights the role of legal expertise in the judiciary, a point often asked in questions on judicial reforms and independence.</p> <h2>Way Forward</h2> <p>New judges will soon take oath and begin hearing cases, influencing jurisprudence on constitutional, civil, and criminal matters. Aspirants should monitor the first major judgments of these judges to gauge shifts in legal interpretation. Additionally, the appointments underscore the need to study the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Article 124 of the Constitution — Provides for the establishment and composition of the Supreme Court and outlines the appointment procedure for its judges (GS2: Polity)">Article 124</span> framework and recent debates on judicial appointments, which may feature in future UPSC questions.</p>