Centre Approves Appointment of Justices Alok Aradhe and Vipul Pancholi to Supreme Court

The Government of India has officially approved the appointments of Justices Alok Aradhe and Vipul Manubhai Pancholi as judges of the Supreme Court. This decision follows a recommendation from the Supreme Court Collegium and was confirmed on August 27, 2025, by the Union Minister for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal.

In an announcement made via social media platform X, Minister Meghwal stated that the President, after consulting with the Chief Justice of India, has appointed the two judges. Their elevation brings the total number of judges in the Supreme Court to its sanctioned strength of 34, including the Chief Justice, up from the current 32 judges.

Details of the Appointments

The Supreme Court Collegium convened on August 25, 2025, to discuss the appointments. A formal statement released on the apex court’s website detailed the elevation of both judges: Justice Aradhe, currently serving as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, and Justice Pancholi, Chief Justice of the Patna High Court.

Justice Alok Aradhe, born on April 13, 1964, began his legal career in 1988 and was designated as a senior advocate in 2007. He joined the Madhya Pradesh High Court as an Additional Judge in December 2009 and became a Permanent Judge in February 2011. Justice Aradhe has held various positions, including a brief tenure as Acting Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court in 2018. He was appointed Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court in July 2023 and took charge of the Bombay High Court in January 2025.

Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi, born on May 28, 1968, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, completed his B.Sc. in Electronics and LL.M. in Commercial Law from Gujarat University. After joining the Bar in 1991, he served as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor at the Gujarat High Court for seven years. Appointed as an Additional Judge at the Gujarat High Court in October 2014, he became a Permanent Judge in June 2016. Justice Pancholi was transferred to the Patna High Court in July 2023 and assumed his role as Chief Justice on July 21, 2025.

The appointments of Justices Aradhe and Pancholi are expected to enhance the functioning and efficiency of the Supreme Court, which addresses a wide range of legal issues and upholds the Constitution of India.