Supreme Court Collegium Moves to Transfer Judges Set to Become High Court Chief Justices in Advance

New Delhi, Feb 27: The Supreme Court collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, has decided that judges proposed to take over as chief justices of high courts may be transferred well in advance preferably two months before the vacancy arises. The move is aimed at allowing incoming chief justices to familiarize themselves with the workings of the high court, ensuring a seamless transition and maintaining the efficiency and quality of judicial administration.

Following this policy, the collegium has recommended transferring Justice Lisa Gill of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to the Andhra Pradesh High Court, where she will assume charge as chief justice upon the retirement of the incumbent. Similarly, Kerala High Court judge Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari has been recommended as the next chief justice of the Madras High Court, effective March 5, 2026, after the retirement of the current chief justice.

In a separate decision, the collegium also approved the appointment of nine advocates Md. Nadim Seraj, Ranjan Kumar Jha, Kumar Manish, Sanjeev Kumar, Girijish Kumar, Alok Kumar, Raj Kumar, Rana Vikram Singh, and Vikash Kumar as judges of the Patna High Court, reinforcing the judiciary’s continued efforts to strengthen institutional capacity.

The apex court’s decision underscores its proactive approach to ensuring leadership continuity and administrative preparedness in high courts across the country.