Centre Appoints Ritesh Kumar and Praveen Kumar as Judges of Patna High Court

The Central Government has approved the appointment of two new judges to the Patna High Court, strengthening the court after a long wait caused by vacant positions.

As per a notification issued on January 5, advocates Ritesh Kumar and Praveen Kumar have been appointed as judges of the Patna High Court. The notification was released by the Department of Justice under the Ministry of Law and Justice. The appointments have been made by the President of India under Article 217(1) of the Constitution. Both judges will formally take charge from the date they assume office.

Copies of the appointment notification have been sent to key authorities, including the Registrar General of the Patna High Court, the Governor of Bihar, the Chief Minister, and the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court.

These appointments are based on recommendations made earlier by the Supreme Court Collegium. The collegium approved Ritesh Kumar’s elevation in February 2025, while Praveen Kumar’s name was cleared in July 2025. On the same day in February, the collegium had also recommended senior advocate Anshul for elevation, but that proposal is still pending with the Centre.

The addition of two judges is expected to ease the workload of the Patna High Court, which has been facing a heavy backlog of cases due to prolonged vacancies on the bench.