Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Sep 09
Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati was sworn in on Wednesday as the 39th chief justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh at a ceremony in Srinagar.
The oath was administered by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, who also holds additional charge of Jammu and Kashmir.
The ceremony was held at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K) and attended by the Chief Minister, judges of the High Court, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament, and senior officials from the judiciary, civil administration, and police.
Several serving and former chief justices and judges from high courts across India, particularly Rajasthan, also attended the ceremony.
Bhati’s wife, Justice Nupur Bhati of the Rajasthan High Court, along with his parents and other family members were present.
The Ministry of Law and Justice notified Bhati’s appointment on September 5.
Born on Sept. 21, 1970, Bhati enrolled as an advocate in 1992 and practised mainly before the Rajasthan High Court at Jodhpur. His areas of practice included constitutional and writ matters, service law, public interest litigation, elections, revenue, mining, education, Panchayati Raj, family and criminal law.
He served as additional advocate general of Rajasthan before being elevated as a judge of the Rajasthan High Court on Nov. 16, 2016.
Bhati was a member of the Bar Council of Rajasthan from 2009 to 2015 and served as president of the Rajasthan High Court Lawyers’ Association from 2011 to 2013.
He holds BA, LLB, and LLM degrees in Mercantile Law as well as a doctorate.
He also taught law at Jai Narain Vyas University in Jodhpur and the National Law University, Jodhpur.
