SC gets two new judges amid Justice Nagarathna’s dissent on Justice Pancholi
Public Lokpal
August 27, 2025
SC gets two new judges amid Justice Nagarathna’s dissent on Justice Pancholi
NEW DELHI: Bombay High Court Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Patna High Court Chief Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi were on Wednesday elevated as judges of the Supreme Court, the government said.
Their names were recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium on Monday and their appointments were announced by the Union law ministry on Wednesday.
Once the two take oath, the top court will function with its full sanctioned strength of 34 judges, including the chief justice of India (CJI).
Justice Pancholi will be in line to become the CJI in October 2031 after Justice Joymalya Bagchi's retirement on October 2, 2031.
He would assume the CJI's office on October 3, 2031, and retire on May 27, 2033.
Justice B V Nagarathna had strongly dissented from the Supreme Court collegium’s recommendation to elevate Justice Pancholi to the apex court, warning the move would be “counter-productive” to justice and could erode “whatever credibility the collegium system still holds.”
On August 25, the five-member collegium led by CJI B R Gavai recommended the names of Bombay High Court Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Pancholi for elevation. If appointed, Pancholi will be in line to become CJI in October 2031 after Justice Joymalya Bagchi’s retirement.
Sources said Nagarathna opposed the recommendation citing Pancholi’s relatively low seniority, questions over his transfer from Gujarat to Patna High Court in July 2023, and concerns about regional imbalance in Supreme Court representation. She noted the transfer was “not routine” but a carefully considered decision after wide consultations.
Her note traces objections back to May, when Pancholi’s name was first considered but not cleared. Later, Justice N V Anjaria was elevated ahead of him. Nagarathna dissented again when Pancholi’s name resurfaced three months later.
NGO Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) also criticised the collegium’s 4-1 split decision, questioning the lack of transparency. It pointed out that Pancholi is 57th in the all-India seniority list of High Court judges and the third judge from Gujarat to be elevated, leaving many other High Courts unrepresented.
Born on May 28, 1968, in Ahmedabad, Justice Pancholi was elevated as an additional judge of the Gujarat High Court on October 1, 2014, and was confirmed as a permanent judge on June 10, 2016.
He was transferred to the Patna High Court and took oath as a judge on July 24, 2023.
Justice Pancholi became the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court on July 21 this year.
He entered the Bar in September 1991 and started practice as an advocate in the Gujarat High Court.
He was appointed as an assistant government pleader and additional public prosecutor in the Gujarat High Court and served as such for seven years till March 2006.
He also worked as a visiting faculty at Sir L A Shah Law College, Ahmedabad, from December 1993 for 21 years.
Justice Alok Aradhe
Born on April 13, 1964, Justice Aradhe was appointed as an additional judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on December 29, 2009, and as a permanent judge on February 15, 2011.
He was transferred to the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and took oath on September 20, 2016.
He was appointed as the acting chief justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir on May 11, 2018.
Justice Aradhe was transferred to the Karnataka High Court, where he took oath as a judge on November 17, 2018.
He assumed charge as the acting chief justice of the Karnataka High Court on July 3, 2022, and functioned as such up to October 14, 2022.
He was appointed as the chief justice of the Telangana High Court on July 19, 2023, and took the oath of office on July 23, 2023.
Justice Aradhe was transferred as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court and assumed charge on January 21 this year.
He was enrolled as an advocate on July 12, 1988, and dealt with civil and constitutional, arbitration and company matters in the Madhya Pradesh High Court. He was designated as a senior advocate in April 2007.
PTI