Three judicial officers were on Thursday sworn-in as judges of the Delhi High Court, taking it’s working strength to 43, as against the sanctioned strength of 60.
Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya administered the oath of office and secrecy to Justice Vinod Kumar, Justice Shail Jain and Justice Madhu Jain. The new judges chose to take the oath in Hindi.
Prior to their elevation, the officers, who joined the Delhi Judicial Service in 1992, were serving as Principal District and Sessions judges at different trial courts in Delhi.
While Vinod Kumar was serving as Principal District and Sessions judge at East District (Karkardooma court), Shail Jain was serving as the Principal District and Sessions judge of South District (Saket court). Judge Madhu Jain was serving as the Principal District and Sessions judge of West District (Tis Hazari court).
On July 1, the Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Vikram Nath as it’s members, proposed the elevation of judicial officers Shail Jain and Madhu Jain. On July 2, it recommended the name of judge Vinod Kumar for appointment as judge of the Delhi High Court. On July 22, the Central government notified the elevation of these judicial officers from the Delhi district judiciary to the High Court.
Earlier on July 21, the working strength of the High Court rose to 40 after six new judges took oath, following their transfer from other High Courts of the country.
Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya administered the oath of office and secrecy to Justice V Kameswar Rao, Justice Anil Kshetarpal, Justice Arun Monga, Justice Om Prakash Shukla, Justice Vivek Chaudhary, and Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre.
Justice Rao was transferred to the Karnataka High Court from Delhi in May 2024. He has now been repatriated to his parent High Court – Delhi.
Justice Rao was elevated as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court on April 17, 2013 and made permanent on March 18, 2015.
Justice Kshetarpal was transferred from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He enrolled with the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana and began practicing in Kurukshetra. In May 1988, he shifted his practice to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, joining the chamber of Justice VK Bali (Retd Chief Justice).
He began independent practice in 1991, focusing on civil and constitutional matters. In 2014, he was designated as a Senior Advocate by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He was elevated as an additional judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 10, 2017.
Justice Monga was transferred from the Rajasthan High Court. He completed his schooling in Punjab where his father was a judicial officer. He did B.Sc from DAV College, Chandigarh with first division. He studied law at Panjab University, Chandigarh. While studying law, he was teaching Chemistry at a school at Chandigarh.
He started law practice in 1991. He then shifted practice to Delhi in 1997-98, where he practiced for 20 years, till he was sworn in as judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court in October, 2018. He was transferred to Rajasthan High Court and took oath on November 1, 2023.
Justice Shukla was transferred from the Allahabad High Court. He graduated in Law from Lucknow University and enrolled as an Advocate with UP Bar Council in 2003. He practiced in Civil, Service, Constitutional, Revenue, Criminal and Miscellaneous matters at Supreme Court of India, Allahabad High Court and Delhi High Court.
He took oath as an additional judge on August 3, 2022 and was made a permanent judge on March 21, 2024.
Justice Chaudhary was also transferred from the Allahabad High Court. He graduated in Law from Meerut University in 1988. He enrolled as an advocate on Nov 12, 1988 and practiced in Civil, Constitutional side at Allahabad High Court and Supreme Court.
He was elevated as additional judge on Feb 20, 2017 and took oath as Permanent Judge on Mar 14, 2018.
Justice Sambre was transferred from the Bombay High Court. He was born on December 19, 1967 at Nagpur. He graduated in law in 1992 from University College of Law, Nagpur.
He enrolled as an advocate on August 25, 1992 and started legal career with then Senior Advocate Sharad A Bobde (former Chief Justice of India).
Justice Sambre practised before the High Court of Bombay, Nagpur and was the Secretary of the High Court Bar Association, Nagpur for 2004-07.
He was elevated as a judge of Bombay High Court on January 6, 2014.
In May this year, the Supreme Court Collegium had recommended the transfer of these judges. The same was cleared by the Central government last week. The transfers would lead to changes in the composition of the High Court Collegium.