The Central Government has cleared a recommendation by the Supreme Court Collegium to appoint three judicial officers as judges of the Jharkhand High Court. The development was announced by Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal on X this morning. The three newly appointed judges are Manoj Prasad, Akhil Kumar, and Ram Sharma.
The Supreme Court Collegium had approved the names of these candidates at its meeting held on September 10. Following the government’s clearance, the appointments have been formalised.
The Jharkhand High Court has a sanctioned strength of 25 judges. Prior to these appointments, the court was functioning with 13 judges, leaving 12 posts vacant. With the addition of the three new judges, the working strength of the Jharkhand High Court has increased to 16.
The appointments aim to address the existing vacancies and strengthen the judicial capacity of the court in handling its docket. No further details regarding the oath-taking ceremony or the allocation of work to the newly appointed judges have been disclosed in the official announcement.
The collegium system, comprising the Chief Justice of India and the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, is responsible for recommending names for appointment to the higher judiciary. The executive’s role is limited to clearing such recommendations, after which the President of India issues the formal warrants of appointment.
The Jharkhand High Court, established in 2000 following the bifurcation of Bihar, continues to operate with a vacancy rate higher than the national average for high courts. The latest appointments reduce the vacancy count from 12 to nine, though significant gaps remain in the sanctioned strength.
No objections or reservations were raised in the public domain regarding the suitability of the three appointees during the collegium’s deliberation or the government’s clearance process. The appointments are effective from the date of assumption of office, which will be notified separately by the department of justice.
The increase in judicial strength is expected to alleviate pressure on the existing bench and contribute to timely disposal of cases pending before the Jharkhand High Court. The court hears matters ranging from civil and criminal appeals to service and tax disputes originating from the state of Jharkhand.
The announcement marks the first set of appointments to the Jharkhand High Court since the beginning of 2026, reflecting the ongoing efforts to address judicial vacancies across the country’s high courts through the collegium-executive mechanism.
The department of justice has not issued a separate notification detailing the posting or portfolio allocation of the newly appointed judges as of the time of this report. Such details are typically released following the administration of the oath of office.
The Bar Council of Jharkhand and the Jharkhand High Court Bar Association have not yet issued formal statements welcoming the new judges, though such responses are customary following judicial appointments.
The Collegium’s recommendation for these appointments was made in its September 10 meeting, and the executive clearance has now completed the appointment process, leaving only the formal swearing-in as the final procedural step.
The sanctioned strength of 25 judges for the Jharkhand High Court remains unchanged, and further appointments will be required to reach full capacity. The current working strength of 16 represents 64 percent of the sanctioned strength.
Judicial vacancies in high courts across India have been a persistent concern, with multiple courts operating below 50 percent of their sanctioned strength. The Jharkhand High Court’s current position, while improved, still reflects a significant gap in judicial availability.
The appointment of Manoj Prasad, Akhil Kumar, and Ram Sharma adds to the pool of judicial officers serving in the Jharkhand High Court, contributing to its functional capacity in the interim period before further recommendations are made and cleared.