Two more judges sworn in at Madras High Court, taking working strength to 67

Madras High Court Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari on Thursday, October 15, 2026, administered the oath of office to D. Lingeswaran and B. Karthikeyan, both elevated from the district judiciary to the High Court bench.

Swearing-in ceremony

The ceremony marked the formal induction of the two judges into the High Court. During the proceedings, Chief Justice Dharmadhikari handed over the Presidential warrant of appointment to Justice D. Lingeswaran, signifying his elevation to the High Court from the district judiciary.

Bench strength and composition

With these appointments, the working strength of the Madras High Court has risen from 65 to 67 judges, against a sanctioned strength of 75. Of those currently serving, 56 are permanent judges, while the remaining judges hold office as additional judges for a fixed tenure.

Profiles of the newly appointed judges

Introducing the judges at the ceremony, Advocate General Vijay Narayan said Justice D. Lingeswaran hails from Radhapuram Taluk in Tirunelveli district. He entered the district judiciary in January 2014 and has since served in various capacities across multiple districts in Tamil Nadu before his elevation.

Justice B. Karthikeyan, a native of Thanjavur district, also became a district judge in January 2014. Like his colleague, he has held several posts across the State’s district judiciary, bringing broad administrative and judicial experience to the High Court bench.

Significance

The addition of two judges strengthens the Madras High Court’s capacity at a time when its sanctioned complement remains higher than the current working strength. The elevations from the district judiciary underscore the bench’s continued reliance on experienced judicial officers from the State’s trial courts to fill positions on the High Court.

Published: October 16, 2026