Overview
- The Centre’s Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification naming Nivedita Prakash Mehta, Prafulla Surendrakumar Khubalkar, Ashwin Damodar Bhobe, Rohit Wasudeo Joshi, Advait Mahendra Sethna and Pravin Sheshrao Patil as permanent judges of the Bombay High Court.
- The notification invokes clause (1) of Article 217 and says each appointment takes effect when the individual judge assumes charge of their office.
- With these conversions, the number of permanent judges in office at the Bombay High Court rises to 56 against a sanctioned strength of 71.
- Five of the judges were first made additional judges on October 25, 2024, and Justice Pravin Sheshrao Patil was appointed additional judge on January 27, 2025.
- Officials and commentators say the move is meant to provide greater institutional stability and help the court manage its heavy caseload across Mumbai and the benches in Nagpur, Aurangabad and Goa.