In a move aimed at reducing judicial vacancies and expediting the disposal of pending litigation, the Supreme Court Collegium has officially approved the proposal to elevate four practicing advocates to the bench of the High Court of Orissa.
The recommendation was finalized during a Collegium meeting held on August 18, 2026, following an evaluation of candidate credentials and background inputs. The formal resolution was published on the official portal of the Supreme Court of India.
Nominated Advocates
The four legal practitioners recommended for appointment as High Court judges are:
1. Sasmita Tripathy (Advocate practicing in the Supreme Court)
2. Aditya Narayan Das
3. Rajjeet Roy
4. Gautam Misra
Their proposed elevation brings a blend of trial court experience, constitutional law expertise, and appellate practice from both the apex court and state bars to the High Court bench.
Bench Strength and Structural Vacancies
The Orissa High Court has been operating under considerable operational constraints caused by a significant shortfall in its total sanctioned bench strength:
- Sanctioned Capacity: The full structural strength of the High Court is fixed at 33 judges.
- Current Working Strength: Prior to this resolution, the court was functioning with 17 active judges—roughly half its sanctioned limit.
- Upcoming Retirements: The operational gap is set to widen further as two sitting judges, including Chief Justice Harish Tandon, reach the age of superannuation later this year.
If cleared by the central executive, the induction of these four nominees will raise the active judicial strength to 21, providing essential support to the institution's caseload management.
Constitutional Procedure and Next Steps
Judicial appointments to Indian High Courts follow the constitutional framework outlined under Article 217 of the Constitution of India.
[ Supreme Court Collegium Recommendation ]
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[ Union Ministry of Law & Justice (Background Verification) ]
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[ Prime Minister's Office & Presidential Approval ]
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[ Formal Gazette Notification & Oath of Office ]
- Executive Review & Clearance: The Collegium’s formal recommendation is transmitted to the Union Ministry of Law and Justice. The Ministry coordinates with central agencies to execute background checks and security clearances for all recommended candidates.
- Presidential Assent: Once executive checks are completed, the file is forwarded via the Prime Minister's Office to President Droupadi Murmu for approval.
- Issuance of Warrants: Following presidential assent, the Department of Justice issues official notifications in the Gazette of India, authorizing the nominees to assume office upon taking their oath.
Understanding the Collegium Mechanism
In India, High Court judicial selections are governed by the Collegium system—a judicial body established through Supreme Court precedents to ensure judicial independence during appointments.
For High Court selections, the Supreme Court Collegium consists of:
- The Chief Justice of India
- The two senior-most judges of the Supreme Court
The panel evaluates candidate profiles initially submitted by the High Court Collegium (comprising the High Court Chief Justice and two senior judges). Candidate suitability is assessed through professional standing, trial and appellate performance, integrity records, and institutional requirements.
Expected Institutional Impact
Operating at half capacity creates severe backlogs across civil, criminal, and constitutional dockets. The addition of four new judges is projected to:
- Increase Court Benches: Facilitate the creation of additional single and division benches to hear daily cause lists.
- Streamline Case Disposal: Accelerate disposal rates for long-pending matters across Orissa.
- Provide Transition Stability: Buffer the court against upcoming judicial retirements scheduled before the end of 2026.
Discription: The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, has officially recommended the elevation of four practicing advocates as judges of the Orissa High Court. The decision was finalized during a Collegium meeting on August 18, 2026.
The four legal practitioners nominated for the bench are Sasmita Tripathy (practicing in the Supreme Court), Aditya Narayan Das, Rajjeet Roy, and Gautam Misra.
Currently, the Orissa High Court is operating under severe vacancy pressures, functioning with only 17 judges against a total sanctioned strength of 33. With two sitting judges set to retire later this year, these proposed elevations will raise the bench strength to 21 upon executive clearance and presidential assent under Article 217, helping ease the court's growing case backlog.