Rajasthan High Court Gets New Chief Justice: Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal Appointed Amid Judicial Controversy
The Centre has appointed Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal as the new Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, completing a process that began with the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation on August 31. Justice Agrawal, currently serving as Acting Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court, will move to Rajasthan to head the court.
The appointment was formally cleared by the Centre on September 5, 2026, along with the appointment of Chief Justices for seven other High Courts. The decision brings a regular Chief Justice to the Rajasthan High Court at a particularly sensitive moment for its administration.
The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, had recommended Justice Agrawal after considering the situation surrounding Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma. The Collegium simultaneously recommended Justice Pushpendra Bhati, one of the senior judges of the Rajasthan High Court, for appointment as Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court.
The timing of the decision has attracted considerable attention. Justice Sharma had been facing allegations relating to the exercise of administrative powers and case-listing. Supreme Court Justice Sandeep Mehta had written to the Chief Justice of India raising concerns and seeking the appointment of a regular Chief Justice from another High Court. Justice Sharma has denied the allegations.
The controversy had also resulted in protests by lawyers at both the Jaipur and Jodhpur benches of the Rajasthan High Court. The lawyers had demanded that Justice Sharma be removed from the position of Acting Chief Justice. The Collegium’s recommendation for a new Chief Justice therefore came against a backdrop of growing concern over the administration of the High Court.
Justice Agrawal’s appointment also involves an inter-High Court transfer. The Supreme Court Collegium first recommended his transfer from the Chhattisgarh High Court to Rajasthan and then his elevation as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. The Supreme Court’s official Collegium records list both decisions dated August 31, 2026.
Justice Agrawal has been a judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court since his elevation as an additional judge in September 2013, becoming a permanent judge in March 2016. He was subsequently serving as Acting Chief Justice there before being selected to lead the Rajasthan High Court.
The appointment is particularly significant because Acting Chief Justice Sharma is scheduled to retire on September 26, 2026. The Centre’s decision therefore ensures that the Rajasthan High Court will have a regular Chief Justice before the existing Acting Chief Justice’s retirement.
For the Rajasthan judiciary, the immediate challenge for the new Chief Justice will be to restore administrative stability and confidence while maintaining the court’s judicial functioning. The appointment also marks a significant reshaping of High Court leadership across several states following a fresh round of Supreme Court Collegium recommendations.
Latest position: Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal is now the appointed Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, following the Centre’s approval on September 5, 2026.
