Minister of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad said in Rajya Sabha today that as many as 406 posts of High Court Judges are lying vacant as on 24th July 2017. In a written reply the Minister said, as per the existing Memorandum of Procedure for appointment and transfer of Chief Justices and Judges of High Courts, the proposal for initiation of filling up of vacancies in the High Courts vests with the Chief Justice of concerned High Court. <br/><br/>He said, while every effort is made to fill up the existing vacancies expeditiously, vacancies do keep on arising on account of retirement, resignation or elevation of Judges and increase in Judge strength from 906 on 30th June 2014 to 1079 as on today. With the combined efforts of Executive and Judiciary, 126 fresh appointments of Judges were made in the High Court which is the highest eve in a given year the Minister said. <br/><br/>As on 24th July 2017, the Minister said, 75 fresh appointments of Judges have been made in the High Courts. He also informed that there is no proposal before the government to reserve 33 per cent posts of Supreme Court and High Court Judges for SC, ST, OBC categories.