Justice Ritu Bahri Becomes First Woman Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court

In a landmark moment for the Indian judiciary, Justice Ritu Bahri took oath as the first woman Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court on Sunday, marking a significant milestone in the representation of women in high judicial positions within the country. This historic event was presided over by the Governor of Uttarakhand, Lieutenant General Gurmeet Singh, who administered the oath of office to Justice Bahri, ushering in a new chapter for the state’s judiciary.

Justice Bahri’s appointment is particularly noteworthy as she becomes only the second woman to be appointed as Chief Justice among India’s 25 high courts, following Justice Sunita Aggarwal’s appointment to the Gujarat High Court last year. This move is seen as a progressive step towards enhancing the representation of women in judicial leadership roles.

Before her elevation to the highest judicial seat in Uttarakhand, Justice Bahri had an illustrious career as a judge at the Punjab and Haryana High Court since 2010. Her legal journey began after completing her education in Chandigarh and earning a law degree from Punjab University. She went on to establish herself in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, specializing in various legal domains such as civil, constitutional, taxation, labor, and service matters, following in the footsteps of her father, who also served as a judge in the same court.

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Justice Bahri’s interim role as the acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in October of the previous year set the stage for her subsequent elevation. The Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation on November 2, 2023, for her appointment as the Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court, was based on her extensive legal expertise and significant contributions to the judiciary, including authoring 843 reported judgments, 247 of which were delivered in the last five years.

The Collegium’s resolution underscored the importance of increasing women’s representation among the Chief Justices of the High Courts, noting Justice Bahri’s competence, integrity, conduct, and character as key factors in her appointment.