Eight New Chief Justices Take Charge of High Courts Across India

On September 5, the Union Ministry of Law announced—via a post on X—that eight fresh faces would now sit at the helm of India’s high courts. The names, hand‑picked by the Supreme Court Collegium, were unveiled by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, who added a short note of congratulations for each appointee.

First up, Justice Valluri Kameswar Rao, who until now has been a judge at the Delhi High Court, will now serve as the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. It’s a significant shift, moving from the nation’s capital to Bihar’s legal hub.

From the west, Justice Ravindra V Ghuge of the Bombay High Court has been transferred to become the head of the Calcutta High Court. That means the storied benches of Kolkata will now be under his stewardship.

In a bit of a shuffle, Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi, previously serving in Allahabad, is set to lead the Bombay High Court. Meanwhile, Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal of the Chhattisgarh High Court will take over as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court.

Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra, who hails from the Orissa High Court, will now head the Chhattisgarh High Court. It’s a sort of “return to roots” for him, given his experience in the eastern judicial system.

Justice Alpesh Yeshwant Kogje, a judge from the Gujarat High Court, has been posted as the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. And rounding off the list, Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati, who was an acting chief justice in Rajasthan, will now preside over the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court.

One appointment sparked a brief storm: Rajasthan’s acting chief justice, Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, faced serious, unprecedented allegations leveled by Supreme Court Judge Sandeep Mehta. The controversy added an unexpected twist to an otherwise routine reshuffle.

All in all, the eight new chief justices will bring fresh perspectives to their respective benches, ensuring that the Indian judiciary continues to function smoothly amid the nation’s evolving legal challenges.