New Delhi [India], September 6 : The Central Government, through the Ministry of Law and Justice, has approved the appointment of advocates Amitabh Kumar Rai and Rajiv Lochan Shukla as Judges of the Allahabad High Court.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal confirmed the development via a post on his official X account (formerly Twitter), signalling the culmination of the appointment process.
According to the notification issued, the President of India has exercised constitutional powers, following consultation with the Chief Justice of India, to appoint both Rai and Shukla to the bench. Their appointments will become effective upon assuming charge of their respective offices.
This decision follows the recommendation made by the Supreme Court Collegium on March 25, 2025, advocating for their elevation. With the government's endorsement and the President's assent now in place, the appointments have been formally notified.
The appointments come at a critical juncture for the Allahabad High Court, which is grappling with a significant shortage of judges. As of March 1, 2025, the court was operating with only 79 judges--far below its sanctioned strength of 160.
The addition of new judges is expected to alleviate pressure on the judiciary and help reduce the mounting backlog of cases.