Jaipur, July 23 : In a historic development, seven newly appointed judges took oath at the Rajasthan High Court's Chief Bench in Jodhpur on Wednesday.

Chief Justice K.R. Shriram administered the oath at a formal ceremony held at the court premises.

The new judges include Justice Sandeep Taneja, Justice Baljinder Singh Sandhu, Justice Bipin Gupta, Justice Sanjit Purohit, Justice Ravi Chirania, Justice Anurup Singhi, and Justice Sangeeta Sharma.

With this appointment, the total number of sitting judges in the Rajasthan High Court has reached 43 -- the highest in its history. When the Rajasthan High Court was established in 1949, 11 judges took oath.

However, after the Constitution came into effect in 1950, the strength was reduced to six. In 2018, the sanctioned strength was increased from 36 to 50. As of July 2023, 41 judges were in position. The year 2025 has seen the highest number of judicial appointments in a single year, with 15 judges appointed so far -- three in January, four in March, and now seven in July. This also marks a national first, with two couples now serving simultaneously as judges in the same High Court.

Out of the total sanctioned strength of 50 judges (38 permanent and 12 additional), the number of vacancies has now reduced to 7 -- just 14 per cent of the sanctioned posts. This is the lowest vacancy percentage recorded, down from 48 per cent in 2022 and 34 per cent earlier this year.

Currently, 36 judges are working in the court. Whereas, there are 14 vacant posts, which is 28 per cent of the total sanctioned posts. Earlier this figure was 48 per cent in the year 2022 and 34 per cent in early 2025.

Now, after the appointment of seven new judges, there will be a total of 43 judges after they take charge. Then the number of vacancies will be seven, which will be the lowest ever at 14 per cent, said officials.

Despite the progress, a significant case backlog remains a concern. As of December 31, 2024, a total of 6,82,946 cases were pending, including civil, criminal, and writ petitions. Of these, 1,19,906 cases (17.56 per cent) have been pending for over a decade. Writ petitions form the largest category, highlighting the growing number of disputes involving administrative and constitutional issues.

The appointment of seven new judges and the resulting rise in judicial strength to 43 is a significant step towards improving judicial efficiency. As highlighted by the India Justice Report 2025, efforts to reduce vacancies are essential, though clearing long-pending cases remains a key challenge. These developments have sparked renewed hope for faster and more accessible justice in Rajasthan.

/IANS