J&K gets new Chief Justice as Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati takes oath
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "J&K gets new Chief Justice as Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati takes oath")
The new Chief Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati with Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena after taking oath of office.
Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati was administered the oath of office by Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena, who is also holding additional charge of Jammu & Kashmir. Justice Bhati had enrolled as an advocate in 1992.
Srinagar: Jammu & Kashmir got a new Chief Justice on Wednesday with Dr Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati taking oath as the 39th Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at a solemn ceremony held at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) in Srinagar.
Justice Bhati was administered the oath of office by Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena, who is also holding additional charge of Jammu & Kashmir.
The proceedings were conducted by Shashanka Ala, Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, while the Warrant of Appointment of the new Chief Justice was read out by M K Sharma, Registrar General of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Judges of the High Court, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, Advisor to the Chief Minister, Chairperson of the J&K Waqf Board, State Election Commissioner, former Chief Justices and Judges, besides senior functionaries from the judiciary, civil and police administration, Bar and academia.
A number of sitting and former Chief Justices and Judges from High Courts across the country also attended the ceremony, with a sizeable representation from the Rajasthan High Court. Judges and other dignitaries from the High Courts of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana and Allahabad were also present.
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The presence of Dr Justice Nupur Bhati, Judge of the Rajasthan High Court and wife of the new Chief Justice, along with his parents, close relatives and other family members, added a personal touch to the otherwise formal occasion.
Among the other dignitaries present were the Chief Secretary of Jammu & Kashmir, Director General of Police, senior Commissioners and Secretaries to the Governments of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Vice-Chancellors of universities, Members of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Executive Members of the Kashmir Advocates’ Association and the J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu, Law Officers of the High Court, Judicial Officers and officers of the High Court Registry.
The Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, had issued the notification appointing Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati as Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh on September 5, 2026.
Born on September 21, 1970, Justice Bhati enrolled as an advocate in 1992 and primarily practised before the Rajasthan High Court at Jodhpur.
During his career at the Bar, he handled matters across a wide range of legal fields, including constitutional and writ jurisdiction, service matters, public interest litigation, elections, revenue, mining, education, Panchayati Raj, family and criminal law.
Prior to his elevation as a judge of the Rajasthan High Court on November 16, 2016, Justice Bhati served as Additional Advocate General for the State of Rajasthan from October 13 to December 29, 2008, and again from January 6, 2014.
