Srinagar, Sep 9 : Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati on Wednesday assumed charge as the 39th Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, succeeding Justice Sanjeev Kumar, who had been functioning as the acting Chief Justice.
The oath of office was administered to Justice Bhati by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, who is holding additional charge of Jammu and Kashmir, at a ceremony held at SKUAST, Srinagar.
The proceedings were conducted by Shashanka Ala, Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, while the Warrant of Appointment was read out by M K Sharma, Registrar General of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, judges of the High Court and subordinate courts, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Cabinet ministers, MPs and senior officers of the civil and police administration attended the ceremony.
A number of former and serving Chief Justices and judges from various High Courts, particularly Rajasthan, Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, were also present.
The Centre had notified Justice Bhati’s appointment on September 5 following the recommendation of the Supreme Court collegium.
Justice Bhati, who was earlier a judge of the Rajasthan High Court, enrolled as an advocate in 1992 and practised primarily before the Rajasthan High Court at Jodhpur. He handled matters spanning constitutional and writ jurisdiction, service, public interest litigation, elections, revenue, mining, education and criminal law.
Before his elevation to the Rajasthan High Court in November 2016, he served as Additional Advocate General for Rajasthan and was also associated with the Bar Council of Rajasthan and the Rajasthan High Court Lawyers’ Association.
Justice Bhati holds degrees in law and a PhD and has also served as visiting faculty at Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur, for nearly two decades, besides teaching at the National Law University, Jodhpur.
He now takes charge of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which exercises jurisdiction over the two Union Territories.
Justice Sanjeev Kumar had been discharging the functions of Chief Justice in an acting capacity before the appointment of Justice Bhati.
Saxena is currently holding additional charge of the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor’s office during the leave of incumbent Manoj Sinha.(KNS)
