The Supreme Court collegium, in its meeting held on August 25, 2025, recommended the elevation of two sitting Chief Justices of High Courts as judges of the Supreme Court. Justice Alok Aradhe, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, and Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi, Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, have been put forward for appointment, according to the official statement released Monday.
Background and Judicial Careers
Justice Alok Aradhe currently serves as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, having assumed office on January 21, 2025. Prior to this, he was Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court from July 2023 to January 2025. Justice Aradhe has had a distinguished career serving as a judge in the Karnataka High Court, Jammu and Kashmir High Court, and Madhya Pradesh High Court. He also served as Acting Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court (July-October 2022) and Jammu and Kashmir High Court (May-August 2018).Born on April 13, 1964, in Raipur, Madhya Pradesh, Justice Aradhe completed his B.Sc. and LL.B. degrees and started practicing law in 1988 at the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur. Designated Senior Advocate in 2007, he specialized in civil, constitutional, arbitration, and company law. His academic contributions include revising notable legal treatises and serving as visiting faculty for judicial officers. He was appointed as Additional Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2009, transferred to Jammu and Kashmir High Court in 2016, and later to Karnataka High Court in 2018, before assuming Chief Justice roles in Telangana and Bombay.Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi is the current Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, having taken office on July 21, 2025. He succeeded as Chief Justice after serving as a judge of the same court since July 2023. Before Patna, Justice Pancholi served as a judge of the Gujarat High Court from October 2014 until his transfer to Patna.
Born on May 28, 1968, in Ahmedabad, Justice Pancholi earned a Bachelor of Science in Electronics from St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) specializing in commercial law from Sir L.A. Shah Law College, Gujarat University. Enrolled as an advocate in September 1991, he specialized in criminal, civil, property, service, family, and banking law. He served as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor in the Gujarat High Court between 1999 and 2006 and was a visiting faculty member at Sir L.A. Shah Law College. His elevation as additional judge of the Gujarat High Court took place in October 2014, with confirmation as permanent judge in June 2016. His judicial tenure is noted for administrative reforms and improving access to justice, particularly focusing on modernization and case management in Patna High Court
