New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the elevation of four High Court Chief Justices and a senior advocate as judges of the apex court.

“The Supreme Court Collegium, in its meetings held on 22nd & 27th May, 2026, has recommended elevation of the following persons as Judges in the Supreme Court,” read the Collegium’s statement uploaded on the website of the apex court.

The recommended names are: (i) Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court (Parent High Court: Madhya Pradesh High Court); (ii) Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court (Parent High Court: Jharkhand High Court); (iii) Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court (Parent High Court: Delhi High Court); (iv) Justice Arun Palli, Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court (Parent High Court: Punjab and Haryana High Court); and (v) senior advocate V. Mohana.

The recommendations come amid the Centre’s move to expand the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court in view of the rising pendency of cases.

Justice Nagu was appointed as a judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in May 2011 and took over as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in July 2024.

Justice Chandrashekhar was elevated as a judge of the Jharkhand High Court in January 2013 and assumed office as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court in January 2025.

Justice Sachdeva was appointed an Additional Judge of the Delhi High Court in April 2013 and became a permanent Judge in March 2015. He became the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in July 2025.

Justice Palli was elevated as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in December 2013 and was appointed the Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court in April 2025.

Senior advocate Mohana has been practising in the Supreme Court and has handled several constitutional, civil, and service matters before the apex court.

Earlier this month, President Droupadi Murmu promulgated the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, increasing the sanctioned strength of judges in the apex court from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The move was aimed at addressing the growing pendency of cases and ensuring faster delivery of justice.

The ordinance comes days after the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.

–IANS

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