331 Judge Posts Are Vacant In High Courts: Law Ministry

As on February 2, 2024 against the sanctioned strength of 1,114 Judges, 783 Judges are working and 331 post of Judges are vacant in the various Indian High Courts. Out of the 331 vacancies, 144 proposals received from various High Courts are at various stages of processing between the Government and the Supreme Court Collegium, law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal informed the Parliament today.

He also said that recommendations against 187 vacancies are yet to be received from the High Court Collegiums.

During the year 2022, the minister said, 165 Judges were appointed in various High Courts and during the year 2023, 110 Judges have been appointed in various High Courts. The strength of the Supreme Court of India was increased from 31 to 34 Judges (including Chief Justice of India) on August 9, 2019, whereas the strength of High Court has increased from 906 in 2014 to 1114 Judges at present

Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts are appointed under Article 124, 217 and 224 of the Constitution of India according to the procedure laid down in the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) prepared in 1998 pursuant to the Supreme Court Judgment of October 6, 1993 (Second Judges case) read with their Advisory Opinion of October 28, 1998 (Third Judges case).