New Delhi: In a significant move aimed at strengthening the judicial capacity of the Patna High Court, the Central Government has notified the appointment of seven advocates to the court, including three as permanent judges and four as additional judges.
The appointments were cleared nearly three months after the Supreme Court Collegium recommended nine names for elevation to the Patna High Court in its meeting held on February 26, 2026. While seven recommendations have now received approval from the Centre, two names are yet to be cleared.
The fresh appointments are expected to help address judicial vacancies and improve the disposal of pending cases in one of the country’s busiest High Courts.
Three Advocates Appointed as Judges
According to the notification issued by the Union Government, the following advocates have been appointed as Judges of the Patna High Court:
- Ranjan Kumar Jha
- Kumar Manish
- Raj Kumar
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The three advocates will assume office as permanent judges upon taking charge of their respective positions.
Four Advocates Appointed as Additional Judges
In addition to the permanent appointments, the Centre has also appointed four advocates as Additional Judges of the Patna High Court.
The following advocates have been appointed as Additional Judges for a period of two years from the date they assume charge:
- Rana Vikram Singh
- Vikash Kumar
- Girijish Kumar
- Alok Kumar
Additional Judges are generally appointed to deal with temporary increases in workload and judicial pendency. After evaluation of their performance and requirement of the court, they may subsequently be considered for appointment as permanent judges.
Supreme Court Collegium Had Recommended Nine Names
The appointments stem from recommendations made by the Supreme Court Collegium during its meeting on February 26, 2026.
The Collegium had recommended the elevation of nine advocates to the Patna High Court. However, the Central Government has so far cleared only seven names.
The following two advocates, whose names were recommended by the Collegium, are yet to receive approval from the Centre:
- Md Nadim Seraj
- Sanjeev Kumar
No official reason has been disclosed regarding the pending status of these two recommendations.
Importance of the Appointments
The latest appointments come amid continued efforts to fill judicial vacancies across High Courts in India.
Judicial vacancies have remained a major concern in several High Courts, contributing to mounting case pendency and delays in justice delivery. The appointment of seven new judges is expected to provide much-needed reinforcement to the Patna High Court’s judicial strength.
Legal experts note that timely appointments are crucial for ensuring faster disposal of cases and improving access to justice for litigants.
Collegium System and Judicial Appointments
Under the existing collegium system, appointments of judges to High Courts and the Supreme Court are initiated by the judiciary through recommendations made by the Supreme Court Collegium.
The recommendations are then sent to the Union Government for approval and formal notification.
The Patna High Court appointments represent another step in the ongoing process of filling vacancies across the higher judiciary and strengthening the justice delivery mechanism.
With the induction of three permanent judges and four additional judges, the Patna High Court is expected to witness an increase in its judicial capacity, helping reduce case backlog and improve efficiency in court proceedings.
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