The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the appointment of Kerala High Court Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari as the next Chief Justice of the Madras High Court.The Collegium also announced appointment of Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Lisa Gill as Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The appointment of Justice Aushrut Arvind Dharamadhikari will be with effect from March 6 consequent upon the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Srivastava on March 5.Justice Dharmadhikari is currently serving as a judge of the Kerala High Court and has his parent High Court is Madhya Pradesh.The recommendation was made at the Collegium meeting held on February 26, 2026.
Born on July 8, 1966 in Raipur, Justice Dharmadhikari began his legal career in 1992. He practiced at the Madhya Pradesh High Court for over 24 years in civil, criminal and constitutional law.The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the appointment of Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Lisa Gill as Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court.
"The Collegium has resolved to recommend transfer of Ms. Justice Lisa Gill, Judge, High Court of Punjab and Haryana to the High Court of Andhra Pradesh and for her appointment as the Chief Justice of that High Court with effect from the date the vacancy would arise," the resolution said.
Pertinently, her initial appointment at the Andhra Pradesh High Court will be as a puisne judge and she will take over as its Chief Justice roughly after two months, on April 25, when the incumbent Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur demits office.This early transfer of Justice Gill is in line with the new policy the Collegium has announced.
Under the new policy, a judge proposed to take over as Chief Justice of a High Court may be transferred well in advance—preferably two months before the vacancy arises—so that the incoming Chief Justice becomes familiar with the functioning and administrative affairs of the High Court before formally assuming charge.
Justice Gill is an alumni of the Department of Laws, Panjab University having pursued B.A. LL.B. (three years) and LL.M. from there.She represented Union Territory of Chandigarh for a number of years as well as some of the Boards and Corporations. She was appointed as a judge of the the Punjab and Haryana High Court on March 31, 2014.
Alongside the recommendation, the Collegium also announced a policy decision aimed at strengthening the efficiency and quality of administration of justice by ensuring smoother leadership transitions in High Courts.The Collegium said that the move is intended to ensure that the recommendee becomes “well conversant with the affairs of that High Court and assumes charge of the office of Chief Justice on the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice.”
Meanwhile, Supreme Court Collegium on Thursday also recommended names of nine Advocates for appointment as judges of the Patna High Court.Patna High Court is currently functioning with a strength of 38 judges. Three of the judges including Chief Justice SK Sahoo will retire this year. The High Court has a sanctioned judge strength of 53.
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