Law Ministry appoints Justice Ramesh D Dhanuka as Bombay HC Chief Justice, just for 4 days

Justice Ramesh D Dhanuka has been appointed the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court, according to a notification issued on Friday by the Union law ministry.

However, this will probably be the shortest tenure for a high court chief justice as Justice Dhanuka, who is expected to take oath on Saturday, will retire on May 30.

The Centre has also notified the appointment of the acting Chief Justice of Bombay High Court, Justice Sanjay V Gangapurwala, as the Chief Justice of Madras High Court.

President Murmu appointed both chief justices of the court

The Supreme Court collegium had on April 19 recommended the names of Justices Dhanuka and Gangapurwala as chief justices of the respective high courts, following which President Droupadi Murmu had appointed them as chief justices of the courts from the date they assume office.

About Justice Dhanuka's career

Justice Dhanuka, the seniormost judge at Bombay High Court after Justice Gangapurwala, started his advocacy practice from the chamber of his father Justice Deokinandan R Dhanuka (retired) before the latter was elevated as a Bombay High Court judge in 1990. He had taken up matters related to constitutional law, as well as other branches of law, during his career as an advocate.

He had also represented the city’s civic body for many years. On January 23, 2012, he was appointed as additional judge of the High Court.

Justice Gangapurwala, the seniormost judge at the Bombay High Court, was in December 2022 appointed the Acting Chief Justice by President Murmu after Chief Justice Dipankar Datta was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court.