The Supreme Court Collegium has endorsed the elevation of nine advocates to judgeships within the Calcutta High Court. This decision, reached during Collegium meetings on May 11 and May 12, 2026, signifies a shift in the court's composition. The recommended individuals are Atarup Banerjee, Sandip Kumar De, Partha Pratim Roy, Arjun Ray, and Mukherjee, among others.
The Calcutta High Court currently operates with a significant deficit, boasting 42 judges against a sanctioned strength of 72, leaving 30 vacant positions. These recent recommendations aim, in part, to address this ongoing judicial backlog.
The Collegium's process, a subject of much discussion and occasional contention, involves the careful evaluation of candidates. While specific details of the deliberation for these nine advocates are not publicly detailed in the provided reports, the Collegium's resolutions are formally documented. The Supreme Court website offers access to these official records.
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This development comes amidst a broader context of judicial appointments across India's high courts. Recent reports indicate a high clearance rate for recommendations made by Collegium led by Chief Justice Gavai, with 96 percent of proposed judges being approved by the Union government as of December 2025. Conversely, the Collegium led by Chief Justice Chandrachud saw approximately 15.4 percent of its recommended High Court elevations not cleared by the executive.
Furthermore, the Collegium's decisions on judicial appointments have, at times, navigated complex issues. In July 2024, the Collegium recommended a one-year extension for nine additional judges of the Calcutta High Court, rather than permanent appointments. This move followed recommendations from the High Court's own Collegium, though the views of the Chief Minister and Governor of West Bengal were not conveyed. The rationale behind such decisions often hinges on thorough scrutiny and evaluation of the candidates' suitability and performance.
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The composition of the Supreme Court Collegium itself has seen changes, with justices like B.R. Gavai, Surya Kant, and Vikram Nath being part of recent decision-making bodies. The appointment process, as observed in other High Courts like Bombay and Punjab & Haryana, often involves recommendations of a mix of advocates and judicial officers, with a notable inclusion of women candidates in some instances, such as the recent recommendations for the Punjab & Haryana and Andhra Pradesh High Courts where four women were proposed.
The broader landscape of judicial appointments is also marked by advocacy for increased representation from lawyers practicing in the Supreme Court itself. The SCBA (Supreme Court Bar Association) has actively lobbied for such considerations, though this approach has faced opposition from some High Court Bar Associations.
