Centre Appoints Justice GS Sandhawalia as Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh HC

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 24th Dec. The Centre on Monday notified the appointment of Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, the senior-most puisne judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, as the next Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, to be the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office,” read a notification from the Department of Justice.

This appointment follows a delay of more than three months since the Supreme Court collegium recommended Justice Sandhawalia’s elevation to the post. He was originally slated to take over on October 18, following the retirement of Justice Rajiv Shakdher, but the notification was delayed. On July 11, the Supreme Court Collegium had first recommended Justice Sandhawalia for the position of Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. However, the recommendation was superseded on September 17, and he was instead proposed for the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

Justice Sandhawalia, born on November 1, 1965, holds a BA (Hons) from DAV College, Chandigarh (1986), and a law degree from the Department of Laws, Panjab University, Chandigarh. He was enrolled as an advocate in August 1989 and began his legal practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Justice Sandhawalia’s judicial lineage includes his father, Justice Surjit Singh Sandhawalia, who served as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court from 1978 to 1983 and later of the Patna High Court from 1983 to 1987.

Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia was appointed to the Bench on September 30, 2011, and became a permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 24, 2014.