Mumbai: Justice Ramesh D Dhanuka was on
Sunday sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.
He is due to demit office on May
30, upon attaining the age of 62, and will have a tenure as chief justice of
effectively four days.
Maharashtra Governor
Ramesh Bais administered the oath of office to Justice Dhanuka at a brief
swearing-in ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.
Additional
Chief Secretary Manisha Mhaiskar Patankar read out the warrant of appointment
of the Chief Justice issued by India's President Droupadi Murmu.
The ceremony began and concluded with the national
anthem played by the police band, a Raj Bhavan statement said.
Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative
Council Ambadas Danve, Mumbai Guardian Minister Deepak Kesarkar, family members
of Justice Dhanuka, judges of the Bombay High Court, Maharashtra State Human
Rights Commission Chairman Justice (retd) K K Tated, Advocate General Birendra
Saraf, Director General of Police Rajnish Seth and senior government officers
were present on the occasion.
The Supreme Court Collegium had pointed out that the
office of the Chief Justice of Bombay HC was lying vacant for quite some time,
consequent upon the elevation of Justice Dipankar Datta to the Supreme Court.
Therefore, appointment to that office was required to be made.
It had
recommended the name of Justice Dhanuka for elevation as chief justice of the
Bombay High Court.
Born on May 31,
1961, Justice Ramesh Dhanuka did his schooling in Mumbai. He acquired the
bachelor's degree in commerce and law from the University of Mumbai, as per the
statement.
He started law practice at the Bombay High Court in
1985 in the chamber of Justice D R Dhanuka (retd), till his elevation as the
Bombay HC judge in 1990.
He was on the
senior counsel panel of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai for the last
several years and has appeared in a large number of matters representing the
civic body in the Bombay High Court, the statement said.
He joined as
additional judge of the Bombay HC on January 23, 2012.