Patna, June 5 (IANS) Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai was sworn in on Friday as the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain administered the oath of office to Chief Justice Rai at a ceremony held at Bihar Lok Bhavan in Patna, attended by judges of the Patna High Court and other dignitaries.

Governor Syed Ata Hasnain and Chief Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai greeted each other after the swearing-in ceremony.

Earlier this week, the Centre had cleared the appointment of Justice Rai as the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, acting on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant.

“In exercise of the power conferred by the Constitution of India and in consultation with the Chief Justice of India, the President is pleased to appoint Smt. Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai, Judge of the Sikkim High Court, as Chief Justice of the Patna High Court,” Union Minister of State (I/C) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal had said in a post on X while announcing the appointment.

The apex court Collegium, in its meeting held on May 22, had recommended the appointment of Justice Rai, a judge of the Sikkim High Court, as Chief Justice of the Patna High Court consequent upon the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo on June 4.

Justice Rai takes over as the head of the Patna High Court following the retirement of Chief Justice Sahoo.

Born on July 12, 1964, Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai completed her schooling in Gangtok and Kurseong before pursuing Political Science (Honours) at Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University, on a merit scholarship from the Government of Sikkim.

She later obtained her LL.B. degree from the Campus Law Centre, Delhi University, in 1989.

Before her elevation to the Bench, she was enrolled with the Bar Association of Delhi in 1990 and practised before the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court under an Advocate-on-Record.

She was appointed as a judge of the Sikkim High Court on April 15, 2015, becoming the first woman from Sikkim to be elevated to the post.

Justice Rai has also served as Acting Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court on multiple occasions and currently serves as the Executive Chairperson of the Sikkim State Legal Services Authority.

–IANS

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