Polity and Governance › Judiciary
हिन्दी — Read in HindiAppointments, transfers and accountability of judges
Who becomes a judge and how judges are answerable: the size of the courts, the collegium, transfers, and inquiries and removal.
Showing 2 of 4 articles, those that changed from 1 to 30 September 2026.Show all
The textbook chapter on the judiciary
Copy link to The textbook chapter on the judiciaryMains
The Supreme Court took up on its own a chapter on corruption in the judiciary in a Class 8 textbook of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
What changed
9 Sep 2026Briefnewly addedClosing the case on 9 September 2026, the Court said constructive criticism of courts is essential in a democracy. It held that unverified criticism does not belong in school curricula. LiveLaw, 9 Sep 2026: In re Social Science Textbook for Grade 8 (Part 2) published by NCERT, 2026 LiveLaw (SC) 920 (opens in a new tab)
Appointment of judges to the higher judiciary
Copy link to Appointment of judges to the higher judiciaryPrelims and Mains
Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed under Article 124(2) and judges of the High Courts under Article 217, on the recommendation of the collegium of the Chief Justice of India and the senior judges.
- The collegium system comes from the Second Judges case (1993) and the Third Judges case (1998); the executive appoints under a Memorandum of Procedure.
- The National Judicial Appointments Commission was struck down in 2015.
- Parliament fixes the Supreme Court's strength, and an Act of August 2026 raised it to 37 judges besides the Chief Justice.
What changed
28 Sep 2026Newnewly added
- The Chief Justice agreed to list a 2018 petition seeking a fixed timeline for the Union to act on collegium recommendations.
- In Indrakala Joginder Nanda v. High Court of Bombay, the Court declined to revisit the rule that family court judges are not eligible for elevation to a High Court under Article 217.
- On 28 September 2026 the collegium recommended three High Court Chief Justices for the Supreme Court; Justice Sunita Agarwal would be the second woman proposed in 2026.
Mains: The open questions are time: how long the Union may sit on a recommendation, and whether a court can set it a deadline.
The Hindu, 28 Sep 2026: Supreme Court Collegium proposes second woman as apex court judge in 2026 (opens in a new tab) · LiveLaw, 8 Sep 2026: Supreme Court agrees to list plea to fix timeline for Centre to act on collegium recommendations (opens in a new tab) · LiveLaw, 13 Sep 2026: Supreme Court weekly round up, September 7 to September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)