With the elevation of Justices Alok Aradhe and Vipul M. Pancholi, the Supreme Court has regained its sanctioned strength of 34 judges. While addressing chronic understaffing, Justice Pancholi’s appointment—superseding 56 senior High Court judges—raises debates on seniority, transparency, and collegium practice. For lawyers, this impacts bench constitution, case listing, and succession dynamics.

In a major expansion move, the SC Collegium recommended 14 advocates for elevation to the Bombay High Court. This rare batch aims to ease vacancies, speed up case disposal, and diversify the bench in India’s busiest High Court.