Calcutta HC to get 9 new judges, Supreme Court Collegium approves names

In a significant move to strengthen the judicial framework of one of India's oldest high courts, the Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the elevation of nine senior advocates as judges of the Calcutta High Court. The decision was formalized during high-level meetings held on May 11 and 12, 2026, presided over by the Chief Justice of India (CJI). This initiative is aimed directly at addressing the mounting backlog of cases and ensuring a more robust delivery of justice within the state.

The list of recommended advocates includes highly experienced legal professionals: Indranil Roy, Aryak Dutt, Atarup Banerjee, Sandip Kumar De, Partha Pratim Roy, Sudip Deb, Anuj Singh, Arjun Ray Mukherjee, and Rishad Medora. These names were selected based on their extensive legal expertise, professional integrity, and significant experience at the Bar. The recommendations have now been forwarded to the Union Law Ministry for further processing before the final warrants of appointment are signed by the President of India.

The appointment of these nine judges is expected to provide much-needed relief to the Calcutta High Court, which has been grappling with a high vacancy rate and a surge in pending litigation. Legal experts suggest that filling these vacancies with seasoned advocates will enhance the administrative efficiency of the court and allow for the formation of more specialized benches to handle complex civil and criminal matters.