Did the Rajasthan HC Just Welcome Seven New Judges?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Seven new judges appointed to Rajasthan High Court.
- Total strength rises to 43 judges.
- Judicial officer Sangeeta Sharma elevated to the bench.
- Concerns over a backlog of over six lakh cases.
- Call for increasing judge strength from 50 to 70.
Jaipur, July 22 (NationPress) The judicial capacity of the Rajasthan High Court has seen a remarkable enhancement with the recent appointment of seven new judges.
According to a notification from the Union government, six of the newly appointed judges originate from the advocate quota, while one is currently a judicial officer.
These appointments were made following recommendations from the Supreme Court Collegium. This event marks a significant milestone as it is only the second time in the Rajasthan High Court's history that the number of judges has exceeded the 40 mark.
The new judges include four practicing in Jaipur and two from Jodhpur. Additionally, judicial officer Sangeeta Sharma has been promoted to the bench. Prior to these new appointments, the High Court was operating with 36 judges.
With the addition of these seven judges, the total number of judges currently stands at 43, approaching the sanctioned strength of 50. The last occasion when the judge count surpassed 40 was in July 2023, reaching a total of 41.
Among the newly appointed judges, Sandeep Taneja has been designated as a permanent judge, while the other six have been appointed as additional judges.
The increasing backlog of cases within the High Court has raised significant concerns regarding judicial delays. As of April 2025, over six lakh cases remain pending, with each judge managing an average workload of approximately 16,000 cases.
In March of this year, during a judicial conference in Jaipur, a sitting judge urged Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal to consider increasing the sanctioned judge strength from 50 to 70.
Given that the Law Minister is from Rajasthan, there is optimism that this request will receive serious consideration.