Justice Sandhawalia takes over as Chief Justice of HP High Court
Shimla: Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia on Sunday was sworn in as the new Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.
Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla administered the oath to Justice Sandhawalia as 30th Chief Justice of the High Court here at Rajbhawan's Durbar Hall, in a simple ceremony.
Till now, he was a judge of Punjab and Haryana High court, known for delivering several landmark judgements.
Immediately after taking charge, Justice Sandhawalia said: “It’s like coming home in Himachal Pradesh. I know the state very well and have been visiting here quite frequently”.
"It will be my duty to ensure timely justice for the people, without unnecessary delays. As a small hill state, we have the advantage of manageable litigation volumes, which allows me to focus on delivering justice efficiently. I will strive to make the most of this opportunity and serve the people to the best of my ability," said new Chief Justice.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu congratulated Justice Sandhawalia on taking over the charge as Chief Justice and expressed confidence in his leadership to strengthen the state’s judicial framework.
In a tweet, he stated, “Justice Sandhawalia’s vast experience and vision will add a new dimension to the spirit of justice in Himachal Pradesh.”
Currently, Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan was Acting Chief Justice of the High Court.
Born on November 1, 1965, Justice Sandhawalia completed BA (Hons) from Chandigarh's DAV College in 1986 and earned his LLB from Panjab University in Chandigarh, in 1989.
He began his legal career with the Punjab and Haryana Bar Council and also served at the Patna High Court between 1983 and 1987. His father was Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court from 1978 to 1983.
With Justice Sandhawalia’s appointment, the Himachal Pradesh High Court will have a total of 12 judges, including the Chief Justice. The current roster includes Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, Justice Vivek Singh Thakur, Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, Justice Sandeep Sharma, Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua, Justice Satyen Vaidya, Justice Sushil Kukreja, Justice Virender Singh, Justice Ranjan Sharma, Justice BC Negi and Justice
Rakesh Kainthla.
