In a two-day sprint marked by urgency and recalibrated scrutiny, the Supreme Court Collegium has completed interactions with 54 aspirants eyeing High Court judgeships. This high-stakes vetting marathon, helmed by Chief Justice BR Gavai along with Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath, is part of a renewed push to plug the gaping holes in the country’s higher judiciary.
On July 1, the Collegium grilled 20 candidates. The following day, it met 34 more—bringing the tally to 54 in just 48 hours. The names under consideration are tied to High Courts across a broad swathe of the nation: Delhi, Patna, Gauhati, Allahabad, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.
But this isn’t business as usual. The Collegium has sharpened its approach, veering away from mere paperwork and résumés toward more searching, person-to-person interactions. Some candidates were questioned for over 30 minutes—sessions tailored not just to qualifications, but character.
Why the sudden gear shift? The judiciary finds itself in choppy waters. The recent controversy involving Justice Yashwant Varma—linked to unaccounted cash—and provocative comments from Justice Shekhar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court have cast a long shadow. Credibility is on the line, and the Collegium is clearly signaling that rubber-stamping won’t cut it anymore.
As of July 1, a staggering 371 judicial seats lie vacant across 25 High Courts. What unfolded this week isn’t just a recruitment drive—it’s damage control, reputation repair, and institutional self-preservation rolled into one.
