New Delhi: Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi, who was appointed as the Chief justice of the Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday, will demit office on July 19. Justice Sarangi, who was a judge of the Orissa High Court, will have a brief tenure of nearly a fortnight.
In December last year, the Supreme Court collegium had recommended his name but the Centre took six months to clear his name, due to which he has nearly a fortnight as the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court. The delay in the appointment highlighted ongoing concerns over judicial appointments and administrative delays.
Justice Sarangi's elevation as the Chief Justice of the High Court was announced by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on X, by sharing the notification.
The High Court has remained without a full-time Chief Justice since December 29, two days after the collegium's recommendation to appoint Justice Sarangi. Justice Shree Chandrashekhar is the acting Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court. The appointment of Justice Sarangi brings focus on varying timelines in the appointment of judges’ and Chief Justices across various High Courts.
In the recent past, there have been instances when the judges elevated as Chief Justices had a very short tenure. Justice Ramesh Deokinandan Dhanuka appointed as the chief justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice Sonia Gokani appointed as the chief justice of the Gujarat High Court and Justice Jaswant Singh as the chief justice of the Tripura High Court had brief tenures. The judges’ of the apex court retire at the age of 65 years, the high court judges demit office at the age of 62.
