Judicial Appointments to Patna High Court by President
Source:scconline ↗
Why It Matters
High Court appointments, the roles of permanent and additional judges under Articles 217 and 224 of the Constitution, and related judicial bodies (like the Collegium system) are recurring themes in BPSC and UPSC exams under the Indian Polity segment.
Summary
The President of India appointed three advocates (Ranjan Kumar Jha, Kumar Manish, and Raj Kumar) as permanent Judges, and four advocates (Rana Vikram Singh, Vikash Kumar, Girijish Kumar, and Alok Kumar) as Additional Judges for a period of two years to the Patna High Court under Articles 217(1) and 224 of the Constitution.
Key Points
- The President of India appointed seven advocates to the Patna High Court on June 10, 2026.
- Three advocates, namely Ranjan Kumar Jha, Kumar Manish, and Raj Kumar, were appointed as permanent Judges under Article 217(1) of the Constitution of India.
- Four advocates, namely Rana Vikram Singh, Vikash Kumar, Girijish Kumar, and Alok Kumar, were appointed as Additional Judges of the Patna High Court for a period of two years under Article 224 of the Constitution of India.
- The official notification was issued by the Appointments Division, Department of Justice under the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.
- Article 217(1) defines the procedure and conditions for appointing regular High Court judges, while Article 224 deals with temporary appointments of additional and acting judges (not exceeding two years) to address workload increases or arrears.
Important Terms
Constitution of India
The supreme law of India, establishing the framework for political principles, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and setting out fundamental rights and directive principles.
UPSC context
GS Paper II (Polity). Essential for understanding Indian democracy, federal structures, and constitutional frameworks.
Article 217
A constitutional provision governing the appointment, qualifications, tenure, and conditions of service for High Court judges in India, mandating presidential appointment by warrant.
UPSC context
GS Paper II (Judiciary). Crucial for questions on judicial appointments, the Collegium system, and independence of the state higher judiciary.
Article 224
A constitutional provision enabling the President of India to appoint temporary additional and acting judges to High Courts for up to two years to manage increased workloads.
UPSC context
GS Paper II (Judiciary). Tests understanding of temporary judicial appointments, clearing case backlogs, and judicial capacity building.
Patna High Court
The highest judicial institution of the Indian state of Bihar, established in 1916 and headquartered in Patna, exercising original, appellate, and writ jurisdiction.
UPSC context
GS Paper II (Judiciary). Relevant for state judicial administration, regional jurisdictional frameworks, and history of state high courts.
Department of Justice
A department under the Ministry of Law and Justice responsible for the appointment, resignation, and conditions of service of Supreme Court and High Court judges.
UPSC context
GS Paper II (Executive/Judiciary). Tests understanding of the administrative and executive processes involved in judicial appointments.
Prelims Trap
A distinguished jurist is eligible for appointment as a High Court judge under Article 217.
A 'distinguished jurist' is eligible only for Supreme Court appointments (Article 124). This category was introduced for High Courts by the 42nd Amendment but repealed by the 44th Amendment.
Static Concepts Connected
What are the qualifications and appointment procedures for High Court Judges?
- Appointing Authority: Under Article 217, every Judge of a High Court is appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.
- Qualifications: Must be a citizen of India and have held a judicial office in India for 10 years, or been an advocate of a High Court for 10 years.
- No Distinguished Jurist: There is no provision for appointing a 'distinguished jurist' to a High Court, unlike the Supreme Court.
How do Additional and Acting Judges function under Article 224?
- Purpose: Appointed by the President due to temporary increase in the business of a High Court or arrears of work.
- Tenure Limit: The term of office is strictly temporary and cannot exceed two years at a time.
- Age Cap: No person appointed as an additional or acting judge can hold office after attaining the age of 62 years.
Cross-Topic Patterns
Judicial Appointments and Federalism
The appointment of HC judges involves consulting the State Governor, balancing federal representation with executive supremacy in the judicial selection process.
Pendency and Temporary Judges
The routine use of Article 224 (Additional Judges) to manage backlogs directly impacts Article 21's right to a speedy trial and the ease of doing business.
Questions in 2026 will likely target subtle variations between SC and HC appointments, specifically testing the 15th Amendment's HC reforms.
Linked PYQs · 2
Linked PYQs · 2
- 2023BPSC_PRELIMSGS1
The authority to determine the number of Judges in a High Court rests with which of the following entities?
- 2023BPSC_PRELIMSGS1
Consider the following statements about the collegium system: 1. The Supreme Court collegium is a five-member body, which is headed by the incumbent Chief Justice of India (CJI) and comprises four other seniormost Judges of the Court at that time. 2. The Parliament by law has evolved the collegium system. 3. The Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts are appointed only through the collegium system. 4. The collegium system was introduced in the year 1993 by Justice P. N. Bhagwati in the landmark First Judges Case.
