In a significant development for the Delhi High Court, six judges were sworn in on Monday, boosting the court’s working strength to 40 against the sanctioned strength of 60. Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya administered the oath of office to the judges, all of whom were transferred from other High Courts following recommendations by the Supreme Court Collegium and approvals from the Central government last week.
Notably, Justice V Kameswar Rao returned to Delhi High Court after his brief stint at the Karnataka High Court. Justice Rao was initially elevated as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court on April 17, 2013, and became a permanent judge on March 18, 2015.
The five other judges sworn in are:
- Justice Anil Kshetarpal, previously from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, began his practice in Kurukshetra before moving to the High Court in Chandigarh in 1988. Designated as a Senior Advocate in 2014, he became an additional judge on July 10, 2017.
- Justice Arun Monga, transferred from the Rajasthan High Court, studied law at Panjab University, Chandigarh, while also teaching Chemistry. After beginning his legal career in 1991, he practiced in Delhi from 1997 to 2018 before joining the Punjab and Haryana High Court as a judge. He moved to the Rajasthan High Court in November 2023.
- Justice Om Prakash Shukla, from the Allahabad High Court, completed his law degree at Lucknow University and enrolled in 2003. Practicing in civil, constitutional, revenue, criminal, and miscellaneous matters, he was elevated as an additional judge in August 2022 and became permanent in March 2024.
- Justice Vivek Chaudhary, also from the Allahabad High Court, graduated from Meerut University in 1988 and was enrolled as an advocate the same year. He was elevated as an additional judge in February 2017 and became permanent in March 2018.
- Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre, from the Bombay High Court, graduated in law in 1992 and began his practice under Sharad A Bobde, later Chief Justice of India. A seasoned practitioner at the Bombay High Court, Nagpur Bench, he served as Secretary of the High Court Bar Association from 2004 to 2007 and was elevated as a judge on January 6, 2014.
The induction of these six judges not only strengthens the bench but also reshapes the Delhi High Court Collegium, potentially influencing upcoming judicial decisions and administrative matters.
