New Delhi, Aug 27 (IANS) The Centre on Wednesday issued a notification appointing Justice Pavankumar Bhimappa Bajanthri as Acting Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, shortly after the elevation of incumbent Chief Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi to the Supreme Court was cleared.

“In exercise of the power conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Pavankumar Bhimappa Bajanthri, Judge of the Patna High Court, to perform the duties of office of the Chief Justice of that High Court with effect from the date Shri Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi, Chief Justice, Patna High Court relinquishes charge of his office consequent upon his elevation as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India,” said a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.

Article 223 of the Constitution empowers the President to appoint any puisne judge as acting Chief Justice when “the office of Chief Justice of a High Court is vacant or when any such Chief Justice is, by reason of absence or otherwise, unable to perform the duties of his office”.

Born on October 23, 1963, Justice Bajanthri pursued his education at Vidhyavardhaka Sangha, K.L.E. Society and S.J.R.C. Law College, Bangalore. He enrolled as an advocate in 1990 and practised before the Karnataka High Court, KAT, CAT and educational authorities.

Justice Bajanthri was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Karnataka High Court on January 2, 2015 and soon transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He later rejoined the Karnataka High Court in November 2018 and was transferred to the Patna High Court, where he took oath on October 20, 2021.

Earlier in the day, the Centre announced the appointment of Justices Alok Aradhe and Pancholi to the apex court.

In a post on X, Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said that the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI), was pleased to appoint Justice Aradhe, Chief Justice of Bombay High Court and Justice Pancholi, Chief Justice of Patna High Court, as SC judges.

–IANS

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