SC Collegium recommends new Chief Justices for Patna, Calcutta, Bombay, Punjab & Haryana HCs
New Delhi, Aug 9
The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, has recommended the appointment of four judges as Chief Justices of the Patna, Calcutta, Bombay and Punjab and Haryana High Courts.
"The Supreme Court Collegium in its meeting held on 6th August, 2026 has recommended elevation of Judges as Chief Justices of the High Courts, as mentioned below," said a statement released on the website of the Supreme Court.
As per the recommendation, Justice V. Kameswar Rao of the Delhi High Court has been recommended for appointment as the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge of the Bombay High Court has been recommended for appointment as the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.
The SC Collegium has also recommended the elevation of Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi of the Allahabad High Court as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. Additionally, Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, presently serving in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and having Allahabad as his parent High Court, has been recommended for elevation as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
In a separate statement, the Supreme Court Collegium said it had recommended the transfer of two judges of the High Courts. "The Supreme Court Collegium in its meeting held on 6th August, 2026 has recommended transfer of following Judges of the High Courts," the statement said.
As per the recommendation, Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak, whose parent High Court is Gauhati, has been recommended for transfer from the Orissa High Court to the Gujarat High Court. The apex court Collegium has also recommended the transfer of Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra from the Orissa High Court to the Chhattisgarh High Court.
The recommendations of the SC Collegium will now be processed by the Centre in accordance with the existing memorandum of procedure governing appointment and transfer of judges of the High Courts.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Every time I see these transfers, I wonder about the judges' families. Being shuffled across states must be tough on their kids' education and all. But I guess that's part of the job. Anyway, Justice Tripathi is well-respected - hope he brings fresh energy to Bombay HC.
The Collegium system is the root of all problems. Too much opacity, too little accountability. Why should a handful of judges decide who leads which High Court? We need a more transparent process, maybe involving the opposition and civil society. Just my two paise.
Great news! Justice Kameswar Rao is known for his landmark judgments on environmental issues. Patna HC will definitely benefit from his expertise. Also nice to see regional diversity being maintained with the transfers. 👍
Hope the Centre clears these recommendations quickly and doesn't sit on them for months like they did last time. The Supreme Court had to virtually force the government to act on earlier appointments. Judicial vacancies are a serious issue - Punjab & Haryana HC alone has over 30% vacancies!
As someone who follows Indian legal affairs from abroad, it's refreshing to see the Collegium functioning. But I do wonder - why are transfers and appointments always so delayed? The Memorandum of Procedure has been pending in the Supreme Court for years. Anyway, congratulations to the new Chief Justices!
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