Overview

• Chief Justice B. R. Gavai will administer the oath on August 29 to Justices Alok Aradhe and Vipul Manubhai Pancholi, with the ceremony to be live-streamed, taking the Supreme Court back to its sanctioned strength of 34.
• Following the elevations, the Centre named Justice Shree Chandrashekhar Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court and Justice P. B. Bajanthri Acting Chief Justice of the Patna High Court under Article 223.
• The Centre also appointed 14 advocates as Additional Judges of the Bombay High Court for two years, pushing its working strength to the highest in recent years against a sanctioned strength of 94.
• Collegium member Justice B. V. Nagarathna recorded a dissent opposing Justice Pancholi’s elevation, raising concerns about seniority, gender representation, and his 2023 transfer, as bar groups pressed for publication of dissent notes.
• Sources said the collegium consulted Supreme Court Justices Vinod Chandran and Ahsanuddin Amanullah before clearing Justice Pancholi by a 4–1 majority, and he is in line to become CJI in October 2031.