In view of the recent elevations to the Supreme Court, the posts of Chief Justice of three high courts have fallen vacant. For the time being, these will be manned by Acting Chief Justices.
Earlier today, notifications approving the elevations of Justices Aniruddha Bose, AS Bopanna, Bhushan Gavai, and Surya Kant to the Supreme Court were issued by the Centre.
The Centre has now appointed Acting Chief Justices for three of these courts. Filling for Justice Bopanna at the Gauhati High Court will be Arup Kumar Goswami. Similarly, Justice Dharam Chand Chaudhary will serve as Acting Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in lieu of Justice Surya Kant’s elevation.
Formerly a Senior Advocate, Justice Goswami was appointed as an additional judge of the Gauhati High Court on January 24, 2011. He is also a proficient cricketer, having represented Assam in the Ranji Trophy.
Justice Chaudhary was appointed as an Additional District and Sessions Judge in 1995. He served as Registrar General-cum-Principal Secretary to the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High court between 2010 and 2012. He was then elevated as an additional judge of the High Court in November 2012, and was made permanent in 2014.
However, the post of Acting Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court remains vacant. While the Centre has issued a notification appointing Justice DN Patel – the seniormost judge of that High Court – as ACJ, it has also approved his transfer as Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, vide a notification issued on the same day.
In this case, Justice Prashant Kumar – the next seniormost judge of the Jharkhand High Court – will be appointed as its Acting Chief Justice. However, an official notification to this effect is yet to be passed.
Read the notifications: