President Murmu Appoints 14 Judicial Officers as Judges and Additional Judges to High Courts

President Droupadi Murmu has appointed 14 judicial officers as judges and additional judges in four high courts: Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Jharkhand, and Karnataka. The Ministry of Law and Justice announced this on 19th September, 2026, and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal shared the news in a public statement.

The Delhi High Court Received the Largest Number of Appointments

Delhi got seven of the 14 appointments, the most among the four courts. The court deals with a heavy caseload, including constitutional cases, commercial disputes, criminal appeals, service matters, and cases linked to the capital's administration.

The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court hears cases on constitutional rights, security laws, land disputes, and public administration. The Jharkhand and Karnataka appointments are expected to help clear civil, criminal, commercial, and appellate cases.

List of 14 Judicial Officers Appointed to Four High Courts

1. Delhi High Court: Nivedita Anil Sharma and Nisha Sahay Saxena as judges. Sanjay Sharma, Bharat Parashar, Aditi Choudhary, Dinesh Bhatt, and Arun Bhardwaj as additional judges.
2. Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court: Yashpal Bourney as judge.
3. Jharkhand High Court: Manoj Prasad, Akhil Kumar, and Ram Sharma as judges.
4. Karnataka High Court: Usha Rani, K.S. Bharath Kumar, and Nerale V. Bhavnani as additional judges.

How Judicial Officers Are Appointed?

The President makes these appointments under constitutional powers after consulting the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The Union government then notifies them, following the recommendations and consultation involving the Supreme Court collegium and the CJI.

The next steps are

• Publication of formal appointment orders
• Allocation of portfolios by the respective chief justices
• Oath-taking ceremonies
• Assignment of judges to benches and listing of cases

Difference Between a Judge and an Additional Judge

A permanent judge holds office until the prescribed retirement age. An additional judge is appointed for a fixed period or to handle a temporary rise in workload. Additional judges may later be considered for permanent appointment, subject to the applicable process.

Why These Appointments Matter?

High courts have faced continuing vacancies due to retirements, transfers, delayed recommendations, and the time taken for notification and oath-taking. These appointments will add to the working strength of the four courts and help address pending cases. The government did not share details on the exact vacancies filled or the terms of appointment.