In a significant judicial appointment, Justice Sheel Nagu has been named the new Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The Government of India formalized this announcement on Thursday, marking a new chapter for the high court’s leadership.
Justice Nagu, who previously served as the acting Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, steps into this role following the departure of Justice Ravi Malimath on May 24, 2024. Justice Sanjiv Sachdeva has since taken over as the acting Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
Born on January 1, 1965, Justice Nagu began his legal career in 1987, focusing on civil and constitutional law in the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur. His judicial career advanced significantly when he was appointed as an additional judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on May 27, 2011. He has also held the position of administrative judge at the court’s Gwalior bench.
The recommendation to appoint Justice Nagu to the Punjab and Haryana High Court came from the Supreme Court Collegium, comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, and Justices Sanjeev Khanna and B.R. Gavai. This proposal was put forward on December 28, 2023, following the retirement of Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha on October 13, 2023.
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This appointment is part of a series of recent judicial nominations by the government, which cleared another significant appointment just two days prior. These appointments come after a six-month period during which several nominations were pending. The recent appointment of B.R. Sarangi as Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court on July 3 reflects a continued effort to fill key judicial positions across the country.
