India achieves first-ever simultaneous four women High Court Chief Justices
On June 5, 2026, India's higher judiciary achieved a historic first: four women simultaneously serving as Chief Justices of High Courts. The milestone was reached when Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai took charge as Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. The four women Chief Justices head the Patna, Gujarat, Meghalaya and Andhra Pradesh High Courts — Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai (Patna), Justice Sunita Agarwal (Gujarat), Justice Revati Mohite Dere (Meghalaya) and Justice Lisa Gill (Andhra Pradesh).
Key Facts & Details
7 points- 1For the first time, four women simultaneously serve as High Court Chief Justices in India.
- 2Milestone reached on June 5, 2026 with Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai becoming CJ of Patna HC.
- 3The four: Patna (Meenakshi Madan Rai), Gujarat (Sunita Agarwal), Meghalaya (Revati Mohite Dere), Andhra Pradesh (Lisa Gill).
- 4A significant milestone for gender representation in the higher judiciary.
- 5Women remain a small share of HC judges overall (about 14.85%).
Deep Dive
- +India has 25 High Courts, each headed by a Chief Justice.
- +High Court Chief Justices are appointed by the President on the Collegium's recommendation.
Exam Focus
What judicial 'first' did India achieve in June 2026 regarding women?
Related Topics
Exam Relevance & Angle
Judicial firsts and appointments are high-frequency polity items for SSC, UPSC and banking exams.
Target Exams
Background & Context
India has 25 High Courts. Their Chief Justices are appointed by the President based on the Supreme Court Collegium's recommendations.
Related GK Concepts
Must KnowTest Yourself
1 / 2What judicial first did India achieve on June 5, 2026?
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