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Centre Appoints Nine Additional Judges to Amid Pendency Crisis
More than three months after the Collegium recommended the of ten advocates, the Centre on Thursday formally notified the appointment of nine of them as Additional Judges of the . The lone name left out of the notification was that of military law expert , whose candidature remains pending with the government. The nine appointees, including Haryana Advocate-General , will be administered the by Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra on Friday.
The appointments come at a critical juncture for the , which is currently functioning with only 55 judges against a of 85. This leaves a of 27, a deficit that has contributed to a staggering backlog of over 4.22 lakh , according to the . Of these, 2,55,274 are civil matters and 1,67,587 are criminal cases, many involving urgent questions of , , and .
The Appointees
The nine advocates appointed as Additional Judges are , , , , , , , , and . Chauhan’s is particularly significant as he currently serves as the Advocate-General of Haryana. His appointment not only strengthens the Bench but also sets off a race for the next Advocate-General of the state, as the government must now choose a new top law officer to lead its legal team before the and the High Court.
The appointments were made by the President of India in exercise of the powers conferred by , after consultation with Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant. The notification was issued by Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal via a post on social media platform X, confirming the long-awaited move.
The Unaddressed Vacancy
While the government cleared nine of the ten names recommended by the Collegium on , the omission of has drawn attention. Singh, a noted military law expert, had been recommended alongside the others, but his name remains uncleared. The reasons for the delay are not immediately known, but the partial clearance leaves an unresolved vacancy at a time when the High Court is desperately in need of additional judicial strength.
The is among the largest constitutional courts in India, exercising jurisdiction over three states/UTs. Despite the fresh appointments, the court will still have a of only 64 judges, leaving 21 vacancies. The gap between sanctioned and is likely to persist, underscoring the systemic challenge of judicial appointments in the country.
Acting Chief Justice's Role
Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, who will administer the oath to the new judges on Friday, has himself been recommended by the Collegium for appointment as the regular Chief Justice of the . A notification by the Centre is expected soon. His will be a separate development, but the timing of these appointments signals a concerted effort to address the high court’s manpower deficit.
Pendency Crisis Deepens
The urgency of these appointments is underscored by the alarming pendency figures. Over 4.22 lakh cases are pending adjudication, with civil matters accounting for the majority. Criminal cases, many involving and applications, require . The ’s data highlights that a significant proportion of these cases are of a nature that directly impacts individual liberty, making the need for a fully staffed Bench a matter of .
Legal experts and bar associations have repeatedly called for expeditious filling of vacancies. The recent appointments, while welcome, are only a partial solution. The high court will still require at least 21 more judges to reach its full strength, and the appointment process continues to suffer from delays in the collegium and government clearance stages.
Implications for the Legal Community
For legal practitioners in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh, the arrival of nine new judges is expected to bring some relief in roster management and case allocation. However, the impact on the average time taken to dispose of cases may be marginal until the remaining vacancies are filled.
The race for the next Advocate-General of Haryana has already begun. With moving to the Bench, the Haryana government will need to appoint a new senior advocate to represent it in the and the High Court. This is a high-profile position that often goes to a seasoned litigator with political and legal acumen. The selection process will be closely watched by the legal fraternity.
Conclusion
The notification of nine additional judges to the is a positive step toward addressing the persistent manpower shortage. Yet it also highlights the systemic bottlenecks that plague judicial appointments in India. With topping 4.22 lakh and a far below the sanctioned limit, the need for a faster, more transparent process has never been more urgent. The legal community will be watching closely to see whether the remaining vacancies—and the name of —are addressed in the coming months.
