Supreme Court Top Panel Names Chief Justices for Bombay, Orissa and Meghalaya High Courts

The Supreme Court collegium, on April 18, 2020 recommended the appointment of new chief justices to 3 high courts – Bombay, Orissa and Meghalaya.

These appointments will go through once they are notified by the central government.

Calcutta high court judge, Justice Dipankar Datta was recommended for elevation as Chief Justice of Bombay High Court.

The collegium recommended the appointment of Justice Biswanath Somadder as Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court.

The current Chief Justice of Meghalaya, Justice Mohammad Rafiq was recommended by the collegium for transfer to Orissa High Court as its chief justice. 

Justice Somadder who originally hails from Calcutta High Court is currently serving as a judge of Allahabad High Court.

Justice Datta will take over from the current chief justice of Bombay, Justice BP Dharmadhikari who will retire from office on April 27, 2020.

Justice Datta, who was born in 1965, obtained a law degree in 1989 and practiced in the Supreme Court and high courts before he was appointed judge of Calcutta High Court in 2006.

Justice Somadder also began his law practice in the year 1989 and was elevated as judge of Calcutta high court in 2006 before he was transferred to Allahabad high court in October 2019.

With Justice Somadder being recommended to take over as chief justice of Meghalaya, Justice Rafiq, whose parent high court is Rajasthan, was elevated as Meghalaya High Court Chief Justice in November 2019.

The Orissa High Court has been without a permanent chief justice since January 5, 2020 after the retirement of former Chief Justice, KS Jhaveri. The high court is currently headed by acting Chief Justice Sanju Panda.