Collegium recommends Justices Alok Arade, Vipul Pancholi for elevation to Supreme Court
With these two appointments coming through, the Supreme Court would regain its strength of 34 judges.;
The Supreme Court Collegium in its meeting held on 25th August, 2025 has recommended elevation of the following Chief Justices of the High Courts, as Judges in the Supreme Court:
(i) Justice Alok Aradhe, Chief Justice, High Court of Bombay, and
(ii) Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi, Chief Justice, High Court of Judicature at Patna.
Justice Aradhe was appointed as Additional Judge of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh in 2009 and made a Permanent Judge in 2011. He has been transferred to the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka and Telangana. In January this year, he was transferred as the Chief Justice of High Court of Bombay and assumed charge on the 21st of January 2025.
Justice Pancholi was elevated as Additional Judge, High Court of Gujarat on 1st October 2014 and confirmed as permanent Judge in 2016. He was later transferred to Patna High Court and took oath as Judge, Patna High Court on 24th July, 2023 and became the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court on 21st July, 2025.
Supreme Court presently has two vacancies arising out of the recent retirements of Justices Bela Trivedi and Sudhanshu Dhulia.