Centre Appoints Justice MS Sonak As Chief Justice Of Jharkhand High Court

The Centre on Friday announced the appointment of Justice Mahesh Sharadchandra Sonak, currently a judge of the Bombay High Court, as the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court.

This appointment comes ahead of the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice, Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, scheduled for January 8.

A notification from the Union Ministry of Law and Justice confirmed that the President exercised constitutional powers to approve the appointment. The decision was taken in consultation with the Chief Justice of India, in line with established judicial procedures.

Earlier, the Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, had recommended Justice Sonak’s elevation.

The proposal aimed to ensure continuity in the leadership of the Jharkhand High Court.

Born on November 28, 1964, Justice Sonak completed his schooling at Don Bosco High School in Panaji, Goa.

Later, he obtained a BSc degree from Dhempe College of Arts and Science. He also earned an LLB from MS College of Law, Panaji, affiliated with Bombay University.

Before his elevation to the Bench, Justice Sonak enrolled as an advocate in October 1988. He registered with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa.

Primarily, he practised at the Panaji Bench of the Bombay High Court, dealing with civil and constitutional matters, labour and service law, environmental law, commercial and tax cases, company law, and public interest litigation.

During his years at the Bar, he served as Additional Standing Counsel for the Central government. He also acted as Special Counsel for state governments and statutory corporations.

Subsequently, the authorities elevated Justice Sonak as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on June 21, 2013. Over time, he built a strong judicial record while handling a wide range of significant cases.

Meanwhile, the Centre has also notified the appointment and transfer of Chief Justices of the Kerala, Patna, and Meghalaya High Courts. However, the Collegium’s recommendation to appoint Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta of the Allahabad High Court as Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court is still pending.

Justice Sonak’s elevation is expected to strengthen the effective administration of justice and ensure judicial stability in Jharkhand.

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