Who're Alok Aradhe and Vipul Pancholi, Supreme Court's new judges
What's the story
The central government has approved the elevation of Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Vipul Pancholi to the Supreme Court of India. The announcement was made by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Wednesday. With these appointments, the Supreme Court will now be at its full strength of 34 judges.
Recommendation details
Justices recommended for elevation during August 25 collegium meeting
The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended the elevation of Justices Aradhe and Pancholi during a meeting on August 25. The five-member collegium was headed by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and included Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, JK Maheshwari, and BV Nagarathna. However, Justice Nagarathna had strongly opposed the proposal to elevate Justice Pancholi.
Dissent explained
Justice Nagarathna opposed Pancholi's elevation
Justice Nagarathna had raised concerns over Justice Pancholi's elevation, citing his lower seniority and the circumstances of his transfer from Gujarat to Patna High Court. She argued that this move would be "counterproductive" for the judiciary and could undermine the credibility of the collegium system. She noted that his transfer was "not a routine transfer, but a carefully considered move made after consultations with several senior judges, all of whom concurred with the decision."
Judicial careers
Career of Justices Aradhe, Pancholi
Justice Aradhe was first appointed as an additional judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2009 and became a permanent judge in 2011. He has since served in various high courts, including Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Telangana, and currently Bombay. On the other hand, Justice Pancholi started his career at the Gujarat High Court after enrolling with the Bar in September 1991. He was appointed an additional judge of the Gujarat High Court on October 1, 2014.
Transfer controversy
Controversial transfer of Justice Pancholi
Justice Pancholi was controversially transferred from the Gujarat High Court to Patna in July 2023. The transfer was opposed by the Gujarat High Court Advocates's Association (GHCAA), which praised his qualities as a judge and noted that he had disposed of over 35,000 matters. Despite the opposition, his transfer was carried out. Justice Pancholi will succeed Justice Joymalya Bagchi as Chief Justice of India in October 2031, following her retirement on October 2, 2031.