SC Collegium Recommends Appointment of Chief Justices at 4 High Courts
The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the appointment of Chief Justices for four High Courts, marking another significant step in strengthening judicial leadership across the country. The recommendations were made at Collegium meetings held on August 31, 2026, and cover the High Courts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, and Chhattisgarh. The Supreme Court’s official Collegium records confirm separate resolutions concerning the appointments.
Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal, presently a judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court, has been recommended for appointment as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. The Collegium has also recommended his transfer from the Chhattisgarh High Court in connection with the proposed elevation.
For the Madhya Pradesh High Court, the Collegium has recommended Justice Alpesh Yeshvant Kogje of the Gujarat High Court as the next Chief Justice. His proposed appointment comes at a time when the Madhya Pradesh High Court has been functioning under an Acting Chief Justice following the elevation of its previous Chief Justice to the Supreme Court.
Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati of the Rajasthan High Court has been recommended as Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. His proposed appointment would provide regular leadership to a High Court that has also been functioning under an Acting Chief Justice following recent changes in the senior judiciary.
The fourth recommendation relates to the Chhattisgarh High Court. The Collegium has recommended Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra of the Orissa High Court for appointment as its Chief Justice. The recommendation assumes particular importance because the present Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court, Justice Ramesh Sinha, is due to retire on September 4, 2026.
The latest recommendations are part of a broader effort to address a period of considerable transition in the High Courts. Earlier this year, several sitting High Court Chief Justices were elevated to the Supreme Court, leaving a number of High Courts temporarily under Acting Chief Justices. By July 2026, seven of India’s 25 High Courts were functioning with Acting Chief Justices.
The situation has developed largely because four High Court Chief Justices were elevated to the Supreme Court in June after the Union Government cleared the Collegium’s May recommendations. Their elevation created vacancies at the Bombay, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, and Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Courts, while additional vacancies emerged through retirements.
The Collegium has been working to reduce the period during which High Courts operate under temporary leadership. In February 2026, it adopted an advance-transfer approach under which judges in line for appointment as Chief Justices may be transferred to the concerned High Court before the existing Chief Justice retires. The objective is to enable a smoother administrative transition and allow the incoming Chief Justice to become familiar with the functioning of the court.
The Rajasthan recommendation carries particular institutional significance because the High Court has recently been at the centre of an internal judicial-administration controversy involving its Acting Chief Justice. Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta had raised concerns regarding the functioning of the Acting Chief Justice, while Chief Justice of India Surya Kant had indicated that such allegations would be examined through due process and that the concerned judge would receive a fair opportunity to respond.
Against this backdrop, the recommendation of a regular Chief Justice for Rajasthan is expected to bring greater certainty to the court’s administrative leadership. The move also comes after lawyers of the Rajasthan High Court Bar Association announced abstention from work while seeking appointment of a regular Chief Justice.
The latest round also demonstrates the Collegium’s continuing focus on filling senior judicial positions amid a changing composition of the higher judiciary. With several more High Court Chief Justices scheduled to retire during the remainder of 2026, further recommendations are expected as the year progresses.
The recommendations, however, are not appointments by themselves. They form part of the constitutional judicial-appointment process and will proceed through the subsequent stages before the recommended judges formally assume charge as Chief Justices. The Supreme Court’s publication of the resolutions provides the official record of the Collegium’s latest decisions.
Taken together, the four recommendations represent an important step toward ensuring stable and regular leadership at four High Courts. With judicial administration increasingly focused on continuity, pendency management and efficient court functioning, the appointment of permanent Chief Justices is expected to provide institutional stability and strengthen the day-to-day administration of these courts.
