In an unprecedented move, the Supreme Court collegium interviewed over 50 judicial officers and advocates in just two days, signaling a major evolution in India’s process for high court appointments. The exercise, held during the court’s traditional summer recess, sets a record for the number of face-to-face interactions conducted in one go.
Chief Justice of India Bhushan R. Gavai, along with Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath, led the interviews held on Tuesday and Wednesday. These judges also represent the next two Chief Justices, ensuring continuity of vision in the Court’s leadership.
Candidates were being considered for appointment to high courts in Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, Patna, Rajasthan, among others. Officials familiar with the matter said the collegium opted for these in-person interviews as a way to better assess a candidate’s temperament, ethics, and constitutional understanding, beyond traditional metrics like seniority, judicial output, or intelligence reports.
“These interactions give us a sense of a candidate’s personality — something that service records alone cannot reveal,” said a person involved in the process.
Collegium Active Despite Vacation
The timing is significant: the Supreme Court is technically in recess, yet CJI Gavai has rebranded summer break as “partial court working days”. Two to three benches have been hearing urgent matters since late May, and now the collegium’s administrative work is also proceeding at full steam.
This reflects the Court’s push to maintain institutional momentum year-round, and marks a departure from traditional holiday downtimes, especially in light of recent controversies surrounding judicial conduct.
A Shift in Judicial Vetting
The revived practice of personally interviewing judicial candidates, first reinstated in late 2024, gained traction after high-profile controversies, including one involving Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of Allahabad HC, whose inflammatory remarks triggered backlash for compromising judicial impartiality.
More recently, Justice Yashwant Varma of the Delhi HC came under scrutiny after a cash haul was discovered in his home following a fire incident. The resulting inquiry and recommendation for his removal by then CJI Sanjiv Khanna has underscored the need for more thorough vetting beyond file-based reviews.
A Continuity of Vision
The current collegium — composed of Gavai, Kant, and Nath — not only reflects the present but also future leadership of the Supreme Court, with Justice Surya Kant set to take over in November 2025, and Justice Vikram Nath in February 2027. Their joint participation indicates that this more holistic, integrity-focused model of appointments will likely continue for years to come.
Candidates were reportedly asked about constitutional values, ethical conduct, pressing legal issues, and institutional responsibilities, among other topics. While these interactions aren’t binding, they are proving to be a crucial qualitative tool in assessing suitability for judicial office.
“The judiciary is clearly moving toward a more accountable, merit-driven, and personality-conscious model of appointment,” said a senior legal expert, welcoming the initiative.
The move reflects a broader effort to ensure that India’s higher judiciary is not just competent on paper, but credible, principled, and responsive to democratic values in practice.