Leadership Changes in the Higher Judiciary — New Collegium Recommendations
On August 6, 2026, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended the appointment of Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge and Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi as Chief Justices of the Calcutta High Court and the Bombay High Court, respectively. Justice Ghuge is currently the Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, while Justice Tripathi is a senior judge at the Allahabad High Court. Upon approval, Justice Tripathi will become the 50th Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. Final appointments are made following the Collegium's recommendation through the Central Government's procedure and the President's notification of appointment.
On August 6, 2026, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended the appointment of Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge and Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi as Chief Justices of the Calcutta High Court and the Bombay High Court, respectively.
Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge
Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge is currently the Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. He has been recommended as the next Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court. He was appointed as a judge of the Bombay High Court on June 21, 2013. He assumed the office of Acting Chief Justice in June 2026 following the appointment of the then Chief Justice, Shri Chandrashekhar, to the Supreme Court.
Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi
Justice M.C. Tripathi currently ranks second among the senior judges of the Allahabad High Court and heads the Principal Bench at Allahabad. If the Collegium's recommendation is approved, he will become the 50th Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. Previously, Justice D.K. Upadhyaya from the Allahabad High Court served as the 47th Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.
Judicial Experience of Both Judges
Justice Ghuge began his legal practice in 1990 and represented workers and trade unions in approximately 2,000 cases related to labor law and industrial disputes. On the other hand, Justice Tripathi enrolled as an advocate in 1992 and primarily practiced in civil law matters. He also represented various government and public institutions.
Significance of the Collegium System
Under the Collegium system, a group of senior Supreme Court judges makes recommendations for the appointment and transfer of judges within the higher judiciary. The Supreme Court Collegium comprises the Chief Justice of India and the four senior-most judges. However, a Collegium recommendation does not constitute the final appointment in itself; the subsequent process involving the Central Government and the issuance of an appointment notification by the President are crucial steps.
Subsequent Process and UPSC Relevance
Following the recommendation, the Central Government completes the necessary formalities, and the concerned judge assumes office as Chief Justice after the appointment notification is issued. Currently, Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty serves as the Acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court; Justice Ghuge will succeed him if the recommendation is approved. For UPSC purposes, this development should be studied in the context of topics such as Article 124, Article 217, judicial independence, the Collegium versus NJAC debate, and the appointment process within the judiciary.
