The Centre on Friday, 3 July 2026, cleared the appointment of three judicial officers as Additional Judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, acting on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium. The President, in consultation with the Chief Justice of India, approved the appointments under powers conferred by the Constitution of India.

Who Has Been Appointed

The three judicial officers elevated to the Andhra Pradesh High Court are Sunitha Gandham, Alapati Giridhar, and Purushottam Kumar Chintalapudi (also recorded as Ch. Purushottama Kumar). Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal announced the appointments in a post on X, quoting the constitutional authority under which the President acted.

Collegium Approval and Timeline

The Supreme Court Collegium, in its meeting held on 4 May 2026, had approved the proposal for the appointment of all three judicial officers as judges of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. The Centre's formal clearance on 3 July follows the standard procedural chain that runs from the High Court Chief Justice through the state government and ultimately to the Union Law Ministry and the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

How the Appointment Process Works

Under the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) governing High Court judge appointments, the process begins with the Chief Justice of the High Court concerned. The Chief Minister may recommend names, which must be routed through the Chief Justice. The Governor, acting on the Chief Minister's advice, forwards the complete set of papers to the Union Law Minister — ordinarily within six weeks of receiving the proposal.

The Centre then examines the proposal alongside relevant background inputs before forwarding it to the CJI, who consults the two senior-most judges of the Supreme Court. The CJI's recommendation is sent back to the Union Law Minister, ordinarily within four weeks. Once the President signs the warrant of appointment, the Department of Justice notifies the Chief Justice and Chief Minister, and the appointment is published in the Gazette of India.

Significance for the Andhra Pradesh High Court

The additions come as High Courts across India continue to grapple with judicial vacancies that contribute to case pendency. The Andhra Pradesh High Court, which has jurisdiction over the state since its bifurcation from the combined Andhra Pradesh, has periodically seen vacancies at the additional judge level. These three appointments are expected to provide some relief to the court's workload. Notably, the Collegium's approval in May and the Centre's clearance in July reflect a relatively prompt turnaround within the MoP framework.

What Happens Next

With the presidential warrant signed, the appointments will be formally notified in the Gazette of India. The three judges will assume charge as Additional Judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, with their tenures subject to the terms specified in their warrants of appointment.