Archive · 6 Sep 2026
Twenty-five High Court Judge Recommendations Remain Pending With Government
A group called the Supreme Court Collegium recommends people to become high court judges.
The government still needs to decide on 25 of these recommendations.
Most of the names are connected to five high courts.
Saurabh Kirpal’s name has been waiting the longest, since 2017.
The Collegium recommended him after discussing his case several times.
The government sent his file back, but the Collegium recommended him again.
The file is still waiting for a final decision.
Meanwhile, 304 high court judge positions are empty.
Twenty-five Supreme Court Collegium recommendations for high court judges are pending with the central government.
The recommendations are largely distributed across the Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Punjab and Haryana, and Gujarat high courts.
Advocate Saurabh Kirpal’s recommendation is the oldest, having been pending since October 2017.
The government returned Kirpal’s file for reconsideration in November 2022, but the Collegium reiterated its recommendation.
The 25 high courts have 304 vacancies against a sanctioned strength of 1,122 judges.
- Who
- The Supreme Court Collegium, the central government, and 25 recommended high court judge candidates, including advocate Saurabh Kirpal.
- What
- Twenty-five Collegium recommendations for high court judge appointments remain pending with the government.
- When
- The report is dated September 6; Saurabh Kirpal’s recommendation has been pending since October 2017.
- Where
- The recommendations are largely associated with the Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Punjab and Haryana, and Gujarat high courts.
- Why
- The article describes the appointment process but does not give a general reason for the pending recommendations.
- Pending recommendations
- 25 high court judge recommendations
- Oldest pending name
- Advocate Saurabh Kirpal, pending since October 2017
- High courts chiefly involved
- Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Punjab and Haryana, and Gujarat
- Sanctioned strength
- 1,122 judges across the 25 high courts
- Current vacancies
- 304 posts
- Working strength
- 818 judges
- Vacancy rate
- 27 percent of high court posts