Five New Judges Appointed to Supreme Court as India Takes a Step Toward Faster Justice

In a significant push to strengthen India’s highest judicial body, President Droupadi Murmu on Monday appointed five new judges to the Supreme Court , taking its strength to 37 , just one short of the newly enhanced sanctioned strength of 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India .

The expansion follows a recent government ordinance that increased the sanctioned strength of the apex court from 34 to 38 , reflecting efforts to address mounting workload and improve judicial capacity. With existing vacancies and additional posts created due to the expansion, six positions had fallen vacant. The latest appointments fill a major portion of this gap.

The names were cleared swiftly after being recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium on May 27, with the appointments notified within just four days, a rapid turnaround that has drawn attention within legal circles. The appointments were made under Clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India , following consultation with the Chief Justice of India .

The five judges appointed are Justice Sheel Nagu , Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court; Justice Shree Chandrashekhar , Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court; Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva , Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court; Justice Arun Palli , Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh; and Senior Advocate V. Mohana .

Among them, the elevation of Senior Advocate V. Mohana stands out as a landmark. She becomes only the second woman in history to be directly elevated from the Bar to the Supreme Court, after Justice Indu Malhotra in 2018. Her appointment comes amid ongoing discussions about gender representation in the apex court, which currently has only one woman judge, Justice B.V. Nagarathna .

The appointments arrive at a time when the judiciary continues to face an overwhelming backlog, with the Supreme Court handling nearly 95,000 pending cases , while over 5.6 crore cases remain pending across Indian courts. The system-wide delay has prompted increased reliance on mediation initiatives, tighter case management, and efforts to streamline hearings. While experts note that delays are driven by multiple structural factors beyond vacancies, including frequent appeals and high government litigation, the induction of experienced judges is expected to improve bench strength and case distribution.

This marks the first set of appointments recommended under the Collegium led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant . With one vacancy still remaining and further retirements expected soon, additional appointments are likely in the coming weeks, signaling continued changes in the composition of the Supreme Court.