The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, on 23 September 2026 approved the elevation of 12 additional judges as permanent judges across four high courts — Gauhati, Uttarakhand, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh. The decisions were formally communicated through separate statements issued on Thursday, 24 September 2026.

Key Appointments Approved

For the Gauhati High Court, the Collegium cleared the appointment of Justice Kaushik Goswami as a permanent judge. In Uttarakhand, Justice Subhash Upadhyay received approval for permanent elevation to the Uttarakhand High Court.

Five additional judges were confirmed for permanent positions on the Kerala High Court: Justice P. Krishna Kumar, Justice K.V. Jayakumar, Justice Muralee Krishna S., Justice Jobin Sebastian, and Justice P.V. Balakrishnan.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court received the largest single batch, with five judges approved for permanence: Justice Maheswara Rao Kuncheam @ Kuncham, Justice Thoota Chandra Dhana Sekar @ T.C.D. Sekhar, Justice Challa Gunaranjan, Justice Avadhanam Hari Haranadha Sarma, and Dr Justice Yadavalli Lakshmana Rao.

The Constitutional Framework

Under Article 217(1) of the Constitution, the Chief Justice and judges of high courts are appointed by the President of India. Additional judges, initially appointed under Article 224(1), may be elevated to permanent positions following a rigorous review process conducted by the Collegium.

Before the Collegium recommends permanence, the Chief Justice of the concerned high court must submit detailed performance statistics for each judge — including month-wise case disposal data, judgments delivered, the number of reported judgments in law journals, total working days, actual court attendance, and days of absence. This data must be certified by the judges themselves.

Why These Appointments Matter

India's high courts have long grappled with significant judicial vacancies, which directly contribute to case pendency. Converting additional judges to permanent status provides institutional stability — permanent judges have security of tenure that additional judges do not, enabling them to take on more complex or politically sensitive matters without concern over contract renewal. This comes amid sustained pressure on the judiciary to address a backlog running into crores of cases across high courts and district courts nationwide.

Notably, the Collegium meeting on 23 September 2026 addressed all four high courts in a single sitting, signalling a continued push by CJI Surya Kant to clear the appointment pipeline ahead of the winter court session.

What Happens Next

Following the Collegium's approval, the recommendations will be transmitted to the Union Law Ministry, which processes them for the President's formal assent. The appointments typically take effect upon the President's warrant being issued and the judges taking the oath of office. No timeline for formal notification has been disclosed as yet.