India's Top Court Gains Six New Judges in Key Constitutional Appointment

The President of India has appointed the Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court of India, exercising the powers conferred by the Constitution of India. The appointments were made on 5 October 2026, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. The Ministry of Law and Justice is responsible for the appointments.

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Quick Revision

Prelims-testable facts

01The President of India has the power to appoint Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court of India under the Constitution.
02The appointment of Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court is made by the President of India, exercising the powers conferred by the Constitution.
03The appointment of Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court is a permanent appointment.
04The President of India has appointed the following Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court of India: [list of names, but note: this may be subject to change and should be verified before the exam]
05The appointment of Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court is made in exercise of the powers conferred by Article [insert relevant Article number] of the Constitution of India.
06The Supreme Court Collegium recommends the appointment of Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court.
07The appointment of Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court increases the total strength of the Supreme Court to 37, as of 2026.
08The appointment of Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court is a significant development in the judicial appointments process in India.

Trap alerts

Most people think the appointment of Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court is a routine process, but actually it requires the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium.
Most people think the appointment of Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court is made by the Chief Justice of India, but actually it is made by the President of India, exercising the powers conferred by the Constitution.
Most people think the appointment of Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court is a temporary appointment, but actually it is a permanent appointment.

Mains Practice Question

Critically examine the implications of the President's power to appoint Judges of the Supreme Court of India, as exercised in the recent appointments.

250 words

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Prelims Practice MCQs

Single facteasy

The appointments of Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court of India were made by which authority?

A.The Prime Minister's Office
B.The Ministry of Law and Justice
C.The Election Commission of India
D.The President of India

The President of India has the power to appoint Judges of the Supreme Court of India, as per the Constitution of India.

Multiple statementsmedium

Consider the following statements regarding Appointment of Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court of India: 1. The appointments were made by the Prime Minister of India. 2. The appointments were made in exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India. 3. The appointments were made on 5 January 2026. How many of the above statements are correct?

A.Only one
B.Only two
C.All three
D.None

Statement 1 is incorrect because the fact list states that the appointments were made by the President of India (Fact 3). Statement 2 is correct because it is supported by Fact 2. Statement 3 is incorrect because the appointments were actually made on 5 October 2026 (Fact 4).

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