The Supreme Court Collegium on recommended the elevation of Bombay High Court Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Patna High Court Chief Justice Vipul Pancholi as judges of the top court.

The recommendation was made by the Collegium comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, JK Maheshwari and BV Nagarathna.

Justice Aradhe was appointed as an additional judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2009. He was made a permanent judge in 2011. 

He was transferred to the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir in 2016 and served as its Acting Chief Justice for 3 months in 2018.

After that, he took oath as a judge of the Karnataka High Court on November 17, 2018 and served as its acting Chief Justice for a few months in 2022.

In July 2023, he was appointed as Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court.

He was then transferred to the Bombay High Court as its Chief Justice in January 2025 where he currently serves.

Justice Pancholi's parent High Court is Gujarat.

He was transferred to Patna in July 2023.

Justice Pancholi was born on May 28, 1968.

He joined the Bar in September 1991 and started practice as an advocate in the Gujarat High Court.

He was elevated as an additional judge of the Gujarat High Court October 1, 2014 and confirmed as permanent Judge on June 10, 2016.

His transfer to Patna High Court from Gujarat was mired in controversy after the Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association (GHCAA) opposed the same.

In a communication to the then Chief Justice of India, the GHCAA had said that Justice Pancholi imbibes all the qualities that a good judge should possess.

They had further highlighted that Justice Pancholi has disposed of over 35,000 matters.

Despite, the opposition, the transfer was effectuated.

The Supreme Court, which has a sanctioned strength of 34, is currently functioning with 32 judges, a vacancy position of 2.

[Read Collegium Statement]