Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh, the senior-most judge of the Patna High Court, was on Saturday appointed the Acting Chief Justice, according to a notification released by the Union government.
Justice Singh succeeds Chief Justice Sanjay Karol, who has been elevated to the Supreme Court after serving as Chief Justice from November 2019.
“In exercise of the power conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint, Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh, senior most Judge of the Patna High Court, to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court with effect from the date Justice Sanjay Karol relinquishes the charge as Chief Justice consequent upon his appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India,” said the notification issued by the ministry of law and justice on Saturday.
In addition to Justice Karol, another Patna High Court judge, Justice Ahsanullah Amanullah, has been appointed to the Supreme Court.
Justice Singh, 62, worked as an advocate at the Patna High Court before being appointed to the bench in 2012.
Meanwhile, a farewell ceremony was organised in Patna on Saturday for Justices Karol and Amanullah, which was attended by Bihar’s advocate general PK Shahi, additional solicitor general KN Singh, Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, as well as HC judges and famous lawyers.
The Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, approved the names of five judges, including two from Patna High Court, for elevation to the Supreme Court on December 13.
The Patna High Court currently has 34 judges, which would be reduced to 32 once the two move to the Supreme Court, according to high court officials.
As Chief Justice of Patna High Court, Karol issued numerous landmark decisions, including refusing to grant judicial powers to executive magistrates, ordering renotification of seats reserved for the EBC category for municipal elections, ordering universities to refund amounts in accordance with the state’s fee waiver policy, and suspending funding for madrasas pending an investigation.
Prior to his arrival in Patna, he was appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Tripura on November 9, 2018. With effect from April 25, 2017, he also served as the acting Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.
(With Inputs From Agencies)