Collegium’s Call: Ten Legal Minds Tapped for Judgeship at Punjab & Haryana High Court

(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)

5, May,2026-The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the elevation of ten advocates from the Punjab and Haryana High Court as judges, marking a significant development in the strengthening of the judiciary in the region.

The Collegium headed by the Chief Justice of India undertook a detailed evaluation process before finalizing the names.

The assessment reportedly included considerations of professional competence, integrity, years of legal practice, and contributions to the legal field.

The advocates recommended for elevation are:

• Ms. Monica Chhibber Sharma,
  • (ii) Shri Harmeet Singh Deol,
  • (iii) Ms. Puja Chopra,
  • (iv) Shri Sunish Bindlish,
  • (v) Shri Navdeep Singh,
  • (vi) Ms. Divya Sharma, and
  • (vii) Shri Ravinder Malik.

These names have been forwarded to the Union Government for further processing, which includes background checks and formal approval. Once cleared, the appointments will be officially notified.

In a separate resolution passed by the same day the collegium approved three more names

(i)Pravindra Singh Chauhan,

(ii) Rajesh Gaur, and

(iii) Minderjeet Yadav.

Legal experts have welcomed the move, noting that the Punjab and Haryana High Court has been dealing with a considerable backlog of cases. The addition of ten new judges is expected to ease the burden and improve the efficiency of case disposal.

The recommendations also reflect an effort to maintain diversity within the judiciary, with representation across different areas of legal expertise, including constitutional law, civil litigation, criminal law, and corporate matters.

The new appointees will play a crucial role in shaping jurisprudence in the states of Punjab and Haryana, as well as the Union Territory of Chandigarh, all of which fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

The development comes at a time when judicial appointments have been under close public scrutiny, with ongoing discussions about transparency and the balance of power between the judiciary and the executive in the appointment process.

Further updates are expected once the central government completes its review and issues formal notifications.