Six take oath as Delhi High Court judges

Six new judges were administered the oath of office in Delhi High Court on Monday, taking the strength of judges to 40 as against the approved strength of 60 judges.

Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya administered oath of office to the judges who were transferred to Delhi from other High Courts.

Among those who took the oath include Justice V Kameswar Rao, who had been moved to Karnataka High Court from Delhi in May 2024.

He has now been repatriated to his parent High Court - Delhi.

Justice Rao was elevated as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court on April 17, 2013 and made permanent on March 18, 2015.

The other five judges who took the oath today are as follows,

- Justice Anil Kshetarpal from the Punjab and Haryana High Court

Justice Kshetarpal enrolled with the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana and began practicing in Kurukshetra. In May 1988, he shifted his practice to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, joining the chamber of Justice VK Bali (Retd. Chief Justice). 

He began independent practice in 1991, focusing on civil and constitutional matters. In 2014, he was designated as a Senior Advocate by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He was elevated as an additional judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 10, 2017.

- Justice Arun Monga from the Rajasthan High Court

Justice Monga had his schooling in Punjab where his father was a judicial officer. He did B.Sc from DAV College, Chandigarh with first division. He studied law at Panjab University, Chandigarh. While studying law, he was teaching Chemistry at a school at Chandigarh.

He started law practice in 1991. He then shifted practice to Delhi in 1997-98, where he practiced for 20 years, till he was sworn in as judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court in October, 2018. He was transferred to Rajasthan High Court and took oath on November 1 in 2023.

- Justice Om Prakash Shukla from the Allahabad High Court

Justice Shukla graduated in Law from Lucknow University and enrolled as an Advocate with UP Bar Council in 2003. He practiced in Civil, Service, Constitutional, Revenue, Criminal and Miscellaneous matters at Supreme Court of India, Allahabad High Court and Delhi High Court.

He took oath as additional judge on August 3, 2022 and was made a permanent judge on March 21, 2024.

- Justice Vivek Chaudhary from the Allahabad High Court

Justice Chaudhary graduated in Law from Meerut University in 1988. He enrolled as an advocate on Nov 12, 1988 and practiced in Civil, Constitutional side at Allahabad High Court and Supreme Court.

He was elevated as additional judge on Feb 20, 2017 and took oath as Permanent Judge on Mar 14, 2018.

- Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre from the Bombay High Court.

Justice Sambre was born on December 19, 1967 at Nagpur. He graduated in law in 1992 from University College of Law, Nagpur.

He enrolled as an advocate on August 25, 1992 and started legal career with then Senior Advocate Sharad A Bobde (former Chief Justice of India).

Justice Sambre practised before the High Court of Bombay, Nagpur and was the Secretary of the High Court Bar Association, Nagpur for 2004-07.

He was elevated as a judge of Bombay High Court on January 6, 2014.

A Supreme Court Collegium in May had recommended the transfer of these judges. The same was cleared by the Central government last week. The transfers will raise the working strength of the High Court to 40 and also lead to changes in the composition of the High Court Collegium.