SC collegium recommends elevation of 2 Bombay HC judges
Justice Revati P. Mohite Dere has been recommended as the chief justice of the Meghalaya High Court, while Justice M. S. Sonak has been named to head the Jharkhand High Court following the retirement of the incumbent chief justice on January 8, 2026
MUMBAI: The Supreme Court collegium on Thursday recommended the elevation of two senior Bombay High Court judges as chief justices of different high courts, along with a series of transfers and appointments across the country. Justice Revati P. Mohite Dere has been recommended as the chief justice of the Meghalaya High Court, while Justice M. S. Sonak has been named to head the Jharkhand High Court following the retirement of the incumbent chief justice on January 8, 2026.
Justice Mohite Dere, born in Pune, completed her schooling and law education up to LLB in the city and went on to pursue an LL.M. at the University of Cambridge on a Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Scholarship. After returning to India, she trained under her father, senior advocate Vijayrao A. Mohite, in Pune and later with Barrister Raja S. Bhosale in Mumbai. She practised on the criminal, civil and constitutional sides of the Bombay High Court and also appeared before the Bombay City Civil and Sessions Court. She has served as counsel for the state government as well as central investigating agencies such as the CBI and ED, and was appointed an additional judge of the Bombay High Court on June 21, 2013.
Justice Sonak, born and raised in Goa, enrolled with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa in October 1988. He practised at the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court and represented both state and central governments. He was elevated as an additional judge of the Bombay High Court on June 21, 2013.
The collegium, headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, also recommended the elevation of justice Manoj Kumar Gupta of the Allahabad High Court as chief justice of the Uttarakhand High Court, to take charge after the incumbent retires on January 9. It also recommended the transfer of Justice Soumen Sen, presently chief justice of the Meghalaya High Court, as chief justice of the Kerala High Court after the incumbent retires on January 9, 2026. In addition, justice A. Muhamed Mustaque of the Kerala High Court has been appointed chief justice of the Sikkim High Court, while justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo has been transferred from the Orissa High Court to serve as chief justice of the Patna High Court.
The Supreme Court collegium has recommended the elevation of Justice Revati P. Mohite Dere as chief justice of the Meghalaya High Court and Justice M. S. Sonak as chief justice of the Jharkhand High Court, alongside other judicial appointments and transfers. The collegium is led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and aims to fill vacancies following upcoming retirements.