New Delhi: In a significant judicial reshuffle, the Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the transfer and repatriation of 21 judges across various High Courts in India. This decision, made during the Collegium’s meeting on May 26, 2025, aims to improve judicial administration and ensure an effective institutional balance within the higher judiciary. The proposed changes will also contribute to addressing the evolving needs of the Indian judiciary by redistributing judicial workload across multiple High Courts.
Key Transfers
The list includes several prominent transfers, with some notable names moving to new judicial jurisdictions–
- Justice Sujoy Paul has been recommended for transfer from the Telangana High Court to the Calcutta High Court (Parent High Court: Madhya Pradesh).
- Justice V. Kameswar Rao will move from the Karnataka High Court to the Delhi High Court (Parent High Court: Delhi).
- Justice Lanusungkum Jamir is set to transfer from Gauhati High Court to Calcutta High Court.
Other significant transfers include Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre from Bombay High Court to Delhi High Court, Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra from Allahabad High Court to Punjab and Haryana High Court, and Justice Suman Shyam from Gauhati High Court to Bombay High Court.
Full List of Judges Recommended for Transfer or Repatriation
The following is the complete list of the judges who have been recommended for transfer or repatriation-
- Justice Sujoy Paul – From Telangana High Court to Calcutta High Court (Parent HC: Madhya Pradesh)
- Justice V. Kameswar Rao – From Karnataka High Court to Delhi High Court (Parent HC: Delhi)
- Justice Lanusungkum Jamir – From Gauhati High Court to Calcutta High Court
- Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak – From Gauhati High Court to Orissa High Court
- Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre – From Bombay High Court to Delhi High Court
- Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra – From Allahabad High Court to Punjab and Haryana High Court
- Justice Suman Shyam – From Gauhati High Court to Bombay High Court
- Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma – From Punjab and Haryana High Court to Rajasthan High Court (Parent HC: Rajasthan)
- Justice Vivek Chaudhary – From Allahabad High Court to Delhi High Court
- Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh – From Kerala High Court to Karnataka High Court (Parent HC: Allahabad)
- Justice Vivek Kumar Singh – From Madras High Court to Madhya Pradesh High Court (Parent HC: Allahabad)
- Justice Battu Devanand – From Madras High Court to Andhra Pradesh High Court (Parent HC: Andhra Pradesh)
- Justice Om Prakash Shukla – From Allahabad High Court to Delhi High Court
- Justice Shree Chandrashekhar – From Rajasthan High Court to Bombay High Court (Parent HC: Jharkhand)
- Justice Sudhir Singh – From Punjab and Haryana High Court to Patna High Court (Parent HC: Patna)
- Justice Anil Kshetarpal – From Punjab and Haryana High Court to Delhi High Court
- Justice Arun Kumar Monga – From Rajasthan High Court to Delhi High Court
- Justice Jayant Banerji – From Allahabad High Court to Karnataka High Court
- Justice C. Sumalatha – From Karnataka High Court to Telangana High Court (Parent HC: Telangana)
- Justice Lalitha Kanneganti – From Karnataka High Court to Telangana High Court (Parent HC: Andhra Pradesh)
- Justice Annireddy Abhishek Reddy – From Patna High Court to Telangana High Court (Parent HC: Telangana)
Next Steps
These recommendations are now subject to approval by the Union Government. Once approved, the respective judges will be relieved from their current postings and will assume duties at their new High Courts accordingly. The Collegium’s move aims to promote better workload management, improve efficiency in judicial proceedings, and foster a more balanced distribution of judicial resources across the country.
Implications for the Judiciary
The reshuffling of judges across High Courts is expected to bring about several benefits, including:
- Increased Judicial Efficiency: Redistributing judges will help reduce backlog and speed up the delivery of justice.
- Institutional Balance: The transfer aims to ensure the even distribution of experienced judicial officers across the country, improving the overall functioning of the judicial system.
- Professional Development: Judges will gain broader experience by serving in different High Courts, enhancing their professional growth and expertise.
The Collegium’s decision to transfer and repatriate 21 judges reflects a continued effort to enhance judicial performance and maintain balance within India’s higher judiciary. If approved, this reshuffle will be an important step toward improving the overall functioning of the justice delivery system.
This move also underscores the dynamic nature of India’s judicial infrastructure, aimed at ensuring justice remains accessible, efficient, and impartial across all regions.
