Questions in Justice Nagarathna’s dissent remain even as Justices Aradhe, Pancholi to be sworn in as Supreme Court judges on August 29

Questions raised by Justice B.V. Nagarathna in a dissent to the elevation of Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi to the Supreme Court remain even as Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai is scheduled to read the oath of office to the judge and Justice Alok Aradhe on Friday (August 29, 2025).

The lone woman apex court judge’s questions in her dissent included the reasons behind the transfer of Justice Pancholi from Gujarat to Patna in July 2023 and why a team of senior lawyers had urgently sought a meeting with then Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud (now retired) in the presence of Justice M.R. Shah (retired), a then apex court judge whose parent High Court was Gujarat and had served as the Chief Justice of Patna High Court, to plead for Justice Pancholi’s immediate transfer.