Shimla: Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia took the oath as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in a ceremony held at Raj Bhavan today. Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla administered the oath in the presence of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and other dignitaries.
Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena conducted the formal proceedings, reading out the Warrant of Appointment issued by the President of India.
Born in 1965, Justice Sandhawalia graduated with a B.A. (Hons.) from DAV College, Chandigarh, in 1986. He later earned his law degree from Panjab University, Chandigarh, and began his legal career in August 1989, practicing at the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Elevated to the Bench on September 30, 2011, Justice Sandhawalia became a permanent judge on January 24, 2014. He has served as chairman of key committees, including the Mediation and Conciliation Committee and the Vigilance and Disciplinary Committee. Additionally, he was the Executive Chairman of the Punjab State Legal Services Authority and held the post of Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court earlier this year.
After assuming office, Justice Sandhawalia emphasized his commitment to addressing the pendency of cases by extending court hours and involving the Bar to reduce unnecessary adjournments. “We will ensure justice is delivered at the earliest, especially to those in need, such as senior citizens and the underprivileged,” he stated.
Justice Sandhawalia noted that Himachal Pradesh has a relatively low volume of criminal cases and a higher number of civil and service matters. He assured the public that his focus would be on providing legal aid and ensuring timely justice for all.
