उच्चतम न्यायालय कॉलेजियम (Supreme Court Collegium) ने झारखंड उच्च न्यायालय (Jharkhand High Court) में रिक्तियों को भरने के लिए तीन वरिष्ठ न्यायिक अधिकारियों (judicial officers) मनोज प्रसाद, अखिल कुमार और राम शर्मा की न्यायाधीश पद पर पदोन्नति (elevation) की सिफारिश की है।
The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by the Chief Justice of India, has officially recommended the appointment of three judicial officers as judges of the High Court of Jharkhand. The formal resolution was finalized during a high-level meeting of the Collegium held on September 10, 2026, marking a significant step toward filling judicial vacancies in the state’s apex constitutional court.
The three senior judicial officers recommended for elevation from the district judiciary are:
- Manoj Prasad
- Akhil Kumar
- Ram Sharma
Judicial Strength and Current Vacancy Landscape
The High Court of Jharkhand, situated in Ranchi, has been facing operational pressure due to a substantial shortfall in its working judicial cadre. The sanctioned judge strength of the High Court stands at 25, comprising both permanent and additional judges.
- Sanctioned Capacity: 25 Judges
- Working Strength: 13 Judges
- Existing Vacancies: 12 Seats
Prior to this resolution, the court was functioning with only 13 judges—just over half of its total authorized capacity—while 12 judicial posts remained vacant. Upon executive processing and confirmation of these recommendations by the Union Government, the working strength of the Jharkhand High Court will increase to 16. This addition is expected to alleviate docket congestion and expedite the disposal of pending civil and criminal matters in the state.
Constitutional Procedure for High Court Judicial Appointments
The appointment of High Court judges in India follows a structured multi-tier procedure mandated under Article 217 of the Constitution of India, executed through the Collegium mechanism:
Step 1: Initiation at the High Court Level
The proposal originates from the High Court Collegium, led by the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court along with two senior-most judges. The panel identifies suitable candidates from two distinct sources: the subordinate judiciary (judicial service cadre) and practicing advocate members of the Bar.
Step 2: Executive Assessment and Intelligence Verification
Once nominated, the candidate files are forwarded to the State Government (Chief Minister and Governor) for executive comments. Simultaneously, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice initiates background checks and integrity evaluations through the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
Step 3: Apex Court Collegium Evaluation
The complete dossier—including IB reports, state inputs, and performance evaluations—is placed before the Supreme Court Collegium, which consists of the Chief Justice of India and the two senior-most Supreme Court judges. The apex body evaluates professional competence, integrity, legal acumen, and consultee judges' feedback before granting final clearance.
Step 4: Central Clearance and Presidential Assent
Upon receiving approval from the Supreme Court Collegium, the recommendations are sent to the Union Law Ministry for executive processing. Following formal approval by the Prime Minister and Union Cabinet, the file is submitted to the President of India to issue the official warrant of appointment.
Broader Perspective on Judicial Infrastructure and Elevation Sources
In the Indian legal system, appointments to the High Court bench are systematically split between two streams to balance trial court experience with specialized advocacy:
- Service Cadre Elevation: Senior officers from the Higher Judicial Services (such as District and Sessions Judges) who possess extensive courtroom adjudication experience.
- Bar Cadre Elevation: Prominent advocates practicing before the High Court or Supreme Court who bring specialized litigation expertise across civil, criminal, corporate, and constitutional law domains.
The elevation of Manoj Prasad, Akhil Kumar, and Ram Sharma represents a continuation of institutional efforts to ensure adequate representation of seasoned officers from the district trial courts within the higher judiciary.
Administrative Next Steps
With the formal approval of the Supreme Court Collegium completed on September 10, 2026, the dossier has been submitted to the Department of Justice within the Union Ministry of Law and Justice. The Central Government will complete procedural formalities before sending the recommendations for Presidential assent.
Once cleared, official notifications will be published in the Gazette of India, following which the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court will administer the oath of office to the new judges in Ranchi.
Discription: The Supreme Court Collegium, in a meeting held on September 10, 2026, officially recommended the elevation of three judicial officers as judges of the Jharkhand High Court. The judicial officers proposed for elevation are Manoj Prasad, Akhil Kumar, and Ram Sharma.
This decision aims to address severe staffing shortages at the Jharkhand High Court in Ranchi. Currently, the court functions with just 13 judges against a total sanctioned strength of 25, leaving 12 seats vacant. Upon executive approval and notification by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, these appointments will increase the working judicial strength to 16, helping accelerate case disposal and reduce docket pendency across the state.