Over 400 judicial vacancies across high courts in the country; 194 proposal from HC Collegium under process; Law Minister tells Lok Sabha

The Central Government Wednesday informed the Lok Sabha that there are a total of 419 vacancies of judges in 25 high courts across the country.

In the Supreme Court, there are four vacancies.  Delhi, Bombay and Calcutta High Courts have 31, 30 and 40 vacancies respectively.

The sanctioned strength of High Court Judges at present is 1080 in the country.

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad added that between 2018 to 2020, the high court collegiums had made a total of 505 recommendations, out of which 177 names, which were recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium, were appointed by the Government as high court judges.

The minister further stated that a total of 134 names were rejected by Supreme Court Collegium and remitted to the high courts and the remaining 194 proposals received from various high court collegiums were under various stages of processing with the government and the Supreme Court Collegium.

From May 2014 to 2021 (till 1.2.2021), the details of appointment in the Supreme Court and the high courts are as follows:-

  • 35 judges were appointed in the Supreme Court of India
  • 570 fresh judges were appointed in the high courts
  • 520 additional judges were appointed as permanent judges of high courts

The Minister was responding to a question asked by MP Kalyan Banerjee.

Read the reply

http://theleaflet.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/AS29.pdf