Mumbai: The Supreme Court collegium on Monday recommended to the Centre the name of Bombay High Court Chief Justice Alok Aradhe for elevation to the apex court. It also recommended the name of Patna HC Chief Justice Vipul Pancholi for elevation.
Five-Member Collegium Meeting
The decision was made during a meeting of the five-member collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai. The other members of the collegium included Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, JK Maheshwari, and BV Nagarathna.
Justice Aradhe’s Tenure in High Courts
Justice Aradhe was appointed Chief Justice of Telangana HC in July 2023, before being transferred to the Bombay HC in January. He succeeded Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, who led the court for 18 months before assuming charge as Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court.
Transparency Through Live Streaming
Under his leadership, the High Court started live streaming of court proceedings. As of today, proceedings in 12 courts are being live-streamed.
Last week, the Kolhapur bench of the HC was inaugurated by CJI Gavai. The HC notification approving the setting up of an additional bench was signed by CJ Aradhe.
Judicial Career and Expertise
He had served as Chief Justice of the Telangana HC from July 2023 and previously held judicial positions in the Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Karnataka High Courts. Born on April 13, 1964, in Raipur, he completed his B.Sc. and LLB before enrolling as an advocate in 1988.
With expertise in civil, constitutional, arbitration, and company matters, he was designated a senior advocate in 2007 and appointed an additional judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2009. His tenure as a judge extends until April 2026.
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Reduction in Case Pendency in Telangana
As Chief Justice of the Telangana HC, the reduction in case pendency was notable — from 238,173 cases in July 2023 to 229,148 in January 2025. A total of 8,404 cases, including 6,177 main matters, were resolved during this period. Additionally, live streaming of court proceedings began in August 2023, ensuring greater transparency and public accessibility.
