36 High Court Judge Candidates Qualify Interview Marathon Under CJI Gavai

After a marathon of interviews and long procedure of appointment, Supreme Court Collegium qualified 36 names as High Court Judges across various High Courts in the country. The interviews took place during the Supreme Court’s traditional summer recess under CJI Gavai.

CJI Gavai Leads Historic Two-Day Interview Marathon for Judicial Selections

In a significant move to reform judicial appointments, the Supreme Court collegium has approved a record 36 names for elevation as judges to various high courts across the country. This follows an unprecedented two-day round of personal interviews with 54 candidates earlier this week.

Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath conducted these face-to-face assessments on July 2 and 3, marking it as the largest single batch with  personal interviews in the judiciary’s history.

As of July 1, 2025, there were 371 vacancies out of 1,122 judges across India’s 25 High Courts. This upscaled the urgency of High Court Judges across the country. The cleared appointments span several high courts including Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab and Haryana, Patna, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gauhati. 

From Interviews to Appointments: Inside the Collegium’s Holistic Evaluation Process

The candidates, a mix of judicial officers and lawyers, were vetted through a rigorous process that included inputs from High Court Chief Justices, state governments, the Union Law Ministry, and the Intelligence Bureau, in addition to the personal interviews conducted by the Collegium.

This reform was revived under former CJI Sanjiv Khanna and has been furthered by CJI Gavai, reflecting a broader effort to enhance transparency and accountability in judicial appointments.

This symbolic move marks a significant shift in the history of the High Court Judges, prioritizing in-person assessments over traditional documentary reviews.

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