Overview

• The President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, appointed Bombay High Court Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Patna High Court Chief Justice Vipul M. Pancholi as Supreme Court judges, with notifications issued on 27 August.
• Under Article 223, Justice Shree Chandrashekhar was designated Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court once Justice Aradhe relinquishes charge.
• Justice Pavankumar B. Bajanthri was named Acting Chief Justice of the Patna High Court effective when Justice Pancholi demits office for the Supreme Court.
• The Centre also cleared 14 advocates as Additional Judges of the Bombay High Court for two-year terms through a separate Law Ministry notification.
• Reportedly, the collegium consulted Justices Vinod Chandran and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, who backed Pancholi, while Justice B. V. Nagarathna filed a dissent citing supersession and his 2023 transfer from Gujarat, with sources saying a prior inquiry had given him a clean chit.