Six new judges join Delhi High Court

Six new judges were sworn in at the Delhi High Court, boosting its strength to 40. This follows a major reshuffle in the judicial hierarchy.

Six new judges took oath as judges of the Delhi High Court on Monday, taking its strength to 40 against the sanctioned 60.

The High Court now has 40 judges against the sanctioned strength of 60. (HT Archive)

The oath to the six judges— justices V Kameshwar Rao, Nitin Wasudeo Sambre, Vivek Chaudhary, Anil Kshetrapal, Arun Kumar Monga and Om Prakash Shukla, was administered by chief justice DK Upadhyay a week after their names were cleared by the Centre.

While justice Chaudhary took oath in Hindi, the other five judges took oath in English.

Their names were recommended by the Supreme Court collegium headed by Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai, and comprising justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, JK Maheshwari and BV Nagarathna, on May 26. The collegium also recommended the transfer of 22 high court judges across the country, appointments of chief justices to five high courts, and shuffling of four incumbent high court chiefs.

While the collegium had recommended the repatriation of justice V Kameshwar Rao to Delhi from Karnataka, justice Nitin Sambre was proposed to be transferred from Bombay High Court. Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Om Prakash Shukla were recommended to be transferred from Allahabad High Court, justices Anil Kshetrapal and Arun Kumar Monga were recommended to be transferred from the High Courts of Punjab and Haryana and Rajasthan, respectively.

The addition of these judges in the Delhi High Court has not only resulted in a major shake up in its administrative, judicial, collegium structure, but also shifted the court’s seniority hierarchy.

Earlier, the body– which recommends names high court judges to the Supreme Court collegium – comprised of chief justice Upadhyaya, justice Vibhu Bakhru, and justice Prathiba M Singh. However, with justice Bakhru’s elevation as chief justice of the Karnataka High Court, the collegium will now comprise chief justice Upadhyay, justices V Kameshwar Rao and Nitin Sambre.

Justice Rao, originally elevated to the Delhi High Court in 2013 and transferred to Karnataka in early 2024, has now become the senior most judge after the chief justice, followed by justice Sambre, elevated in 2014. Justice Vivek Chaudhary is now third in seniority, while justices Prathiba Singh and Navin Chawla have been pushed to fourth and fifth place.

The infusion of new judges has also provided a much needed boost to the high court’s depleted strength and has led to a significant reshuffling of the judicial roster—the allocation of case types to individual judges.

Previously, six senior-most judges headed the division benches (comprising one senior and one junior judge). This number has now risen to eight, allowing for broader judicial coverage. The newly sworn judges including justices Rao, Sambre, Chaudhary and Kshetrapal will head four out of eight division benches. While justice Om Prakash Shukla will share the division bench with a senior judge– C Hari Shankar.

Similarly, the number of judges handling criminal cases has increased from eight to nine. Justice Arun Kumar Monga will head one of the criminal benches.