Bengaluru, May 30 (IANS) Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Arjun Ram Meghwal, has announced the appointment of three judicial officers as Additional Judges of the Karnataka High Court.

In a post on social media platform X, the Union Minister said that the appointments were made by the President Droupadi Murmu in exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India and after consultation with the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.

According to the announcement, Justice Rajeshwari Narayana Hegde, Kedambadi Ganesh Shanthi and Brungesh Mahadevappa have been appointed as Additional Judges of the Karnataka High Court.

“I convey my best wishes to them,” Union Minister Meghwal said in a post on X.

The appointments are part of the ongoing process to strengthen the judiciary and address the workload in High Courts across the country.

Earlier, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice’s Department of Justice (Appointments Division) had issued a notification in this regard.

Union Joint Secretary Jagannath Srinivasan had issued the notification.

As per the notification Justice Hegde will serve as a judge till March 17, 2028, when she will attain superannuation.

Justices Shanthi and Mahadevappa have been given a two-year term as additional judges, from the date on which they assume office.

The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended that the trio be appointed as High Court judges following a meeting held on April 14.

The Karnataka High Court is currently functioning with 45 judges as against its sanctioned strength of 62, with 17 vacancies.

The Supreme Court Collegium on My 27 recommended the elevation of four High Court Chief Justices and a senior advocate as judges of the apex court.

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

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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