Gujarat High Court

High Court for the State of Gujarat From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Gujarat High Court is the High Court of the state of Gujarat. It was established on 1 May 1960 under the Bombay Re-organisation Act, 1960 after the state of Gujarat split from Bombay State.

Established1 May 1960; 66 years ago (1960-05-01)
JurisdictionGujarat
LocationAhmedabad, Gujarat
Coordinates23.0802°N 72.5244°E / 23.0802; 72.5244
Quick facts Established, Jurisdiction ...
Gujarat High Court
The Gujarat High Court building
Interactive map of Gujarat High Court
23.0802°N 72.5244°E / 23.0802; 72.5244
Established1 May 1960; 66 years ago (1960-05-01)
JurisdictionGujarat
LocationAhmedabad, Gujarat
Coordinates23.0802°N 72.5244°E / 23.0802; 72.5244
Composition methodPresidential appointment with confirmation of Chief Justice of India and Governor of respective state.
Authorised byConstitution of India
Appeals toSupreme Court of India
Judge term lengthMandatory retirement by age of 62 years
Number of positions52 (Permanent 39; Additional 13)
Websitegujarathighcourt.nic.in Edit this at Wikidata
Chief Justice
CurrentlySunita Agarwal
Since23 July 2023
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The seat of the court is Ahmedabad.

Establishment

This High Court was established on 1 May 1960 as a result of bifurcation of the former State of Bombay into two States of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The High Court started functioning near Akashwani, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad. The High Court had later shifted to the new building at Sarkhej - Gandhinagar Highway, Sola, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, from 16 January 1999.

Jurisdiction

The Gujarat High Court has jurisdiction over the entire state of Gujarat and on all district, administrative and other courts in Gujarat. This high court is a Court of record and empowered to punish anyone for contempt of court.

Powers

Unlike Union Judiciary, the state judiciary possesses wide powers which include powers such as Appellate, Second Appellate in some cases, Revisionary, Review etc. It also has power to issue various writs to courts and authorities under its jurisdiction. Intra-Court appeals, when permissible under Clause - 15 of Letters Patent, also lie within the same court from decision of a Single Judge to a Division Bench which comprises two Judges. It has power of superintendence on all courts under it under Article 227 of the Constitution of India. The High Courts are also empowered to hear Public Interest Litigations.

Chief Justice and Judges

Main article: Chief Justice of Gujarat

The present strength of Gujarat High court is 35 against sanctioned strength of 52 posts which includes 39 permanent posts and 13 additional posts.[1][2][3]

See also: List of sitting judges of High Courts of India § Gujarat High Court

The high court is headed by the Chief Justice on administrative side. They are appointed by President of India under warrant. However, the president is required to consult the Governor of Gujarat and the Chief Justice of India before making such appointment. The Governor of Gujarat administers the oath of office at the time of appointment. The present Chief Justice of the court is Justice Sunita Agarwal. Various benches are constituted depending upon the requirements of that High Court. These benches usually consist of division benches (two judges) and benches presided over by single judges. A roster is maintained by the High Court to assign the matters between various benches. Chief Justices in all the High Courts as also the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court are masters of the roster.

Judges

All judges of the high court are appointed by the President of India after recommendation by the Supreme Court Collegium. They hold constitutional post and there are ample safeguards provided in the constitution to ensure the independence of the judiciary. Any judge can resign by writing to the President of India. Terms of appointment of judges cannot be altered to their disadvantage after their appointment.

Qualifications

The following are qualifications to be judge of Gujarat High Court or any other High Court in India.

  • The individual must be citizen of India
  • The individual must have held a judicial office in India for at least ten years; or
  • Been advocate in any high court or two or more courts in succession for at least 10 years.

Live Streaming

The High Court of Gujarat was pioneer in the country to live stream its proceedings. After successful implementation of live proceedings of its benches, the High Court also began live streaming of proceedings of the Principal District Courts across the state from February, 2023.

Former Chief Justices

More information #, Chief Justice ...
#[4] Chief Justice Tenure
Start End Parent High Court
1 Sunderlal Trikamlal Desai 1 May 1960 25 January 1961
2 Kantilal Thakoredas Desai 26 January 1961 22 May 1963 Bombay
3 Jaishanker Manilal Shelat 31 May 1963 24 February 1966 Bombay
4 Nomanbhai Mahmedbhai Miabhoy 21 February 1966 15 September 1967 Bombay
5 P. N. Bhagwati 16 September 1967 16 July 1973 Gujarat
6 Bipinchandra Jivanlal Diwan 17 July 1973 1 July 1976 Gujarat
7 Seshareddi Obul Reddi 7 July 1976 18 August 1977
(6) Bipinchandra Jivanlal Diwan 28 August 1977 20 August 1981 Gujarat
8 Manharlal Pranlal Thakkar 20 August 1981 15 March 1983 Gujarat
9 Padmanabham Subramanian Poti 28 September 1983 1 February 1985 Kerala
10 Puliyangudi Ramaiyapillai Gokulakrishnan 21 March 1985 12 August 1990
11 Ganendra Narayan Ray 2 December 1990 7 October 1991
12 Sundaram Nainar Sundaram 15 June 1992 13 December 1993 Madras
13 Bhupinder Nath Kirpal 14 December 1993 11 September 1995 Delhi
14 Gurudas Datta Kamat 1 July 1996 4 January 1997
15 Kumaran Sreedharan 20 October 1997 3 June 1998
16 Konakuppakattil Gopinathan Balakrishnan 16 July 1998 7 September 1999 Kerala
17 D M Dharmadhikari 25 January 2000 4 March 2002
18 Daya Saran Sinha 17 March 2002 18 March 2003 Allahabad
19 Bhawani Singh 25 August 2003 27 March 2006
20 Y. R. Meena 3 February 2007 30 June 2008 Rajasthan
21 K S Panicker Radhakrishnan 4 September 2008 16 November 2009 Kerala
22 S J Mukhopadhaya 9 December 2009 13 September 2011 Patna
23 Bhaskar Bhattacharya 21 July 2012 28 September 2014 Calcutta
24 R. Subhash Reddy 12 February 2016 01 November 2018 Andhra Pradesh
25 Vikram Nath 10 September 2019 30 August 2021 Allahabad
26 Aravind Kumar 13 October 2021 12 February 2023 Karnataka
27 Sonia Giridhar Gokani 13 February 2023 25 February 2023 Gujarat
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Judges elevated as Chief Justices

This sections contains list of only those judges elevated as chief justices whose parent high court is Gujarat. This includes those judges who, at the time of appointment as chief justice, may not be serving in Gujarat High Court but this list does not include judges who at the time of appointment as chief justice were serving in Gujarat High Court but does not have Gujarat as their Parent High Court.[5][6]

More information Name, Image ...
Name Image Appointed as CJ in HC of Date of appointment Date of retirement[a] Tenure
As Judge As Chief Justice As Chief Justice As Judge[b]
Prafullachandra Natwarlal Bhagwati Gujarat 21 July 1960 16 September 1967 17 July 1973[‡] 5 years, 305 days 12 years, 362 days
Bipinchandra Jivanlal Diwan Gujarat, transferred to Andhra Pradesh then back to Gujarat 19 April 1962 18 July 1973 19 August 1981 8 years, 33 days 19 years, 123 days
Manharlal Pranlal Thakkar Gujarat 2 July 1969 20 August 1981 14 March 1983[‡] 1 year, 207 days 13 years, 256 days
Tryambkalal Umedchand Mehta Himachal Pradesh 17 November 1969 25 July 1978 11 December 1979 1 year, 140 days 10 years, 25 days
Prabodh Dinkarrao Desai Himachal Pradesh, transferred to Calcutta then to Bombay 19 February 1970 23 December 1983 14 December 1992 8 years, 358 days 22 years, 300 days
Shailesh Bhadrayulal Majumdar Andhra Pradesh, transferred to Karnataka 3 October 1978 12 October 1992 18 September 1994[‡] 1 year, 342 days 15 years, 351 days
Girish Thakorlal Nanavati Orissa, transferred to Karnataka 19 July 1979 31 January 1994 5 March 1995[‡] 1 year, 34 days 15 years, 230 days
Amratlal Parmananddas Ravani Rajasthan 26 May 1982 4 April 1995 10 September 1996[RES] 1 year, 160 days 14 years, 108 days
Manharlal Bhikhalal Shah Bombay 28 January 1983 2 August 1995 8 December 1998[‡] 3 years, 129 days 15 years, 315 days
Chunilal Karsandas Thakker Himachal Pradesh, transferred to Bombay 21 June 1990 5 May 2000 6 June 2004[‡] 4 years, 33 days 13 years, 352 days
Babulal Chandulal Patel Jammu & Kashmir, transferred to Delhi 15 May 2002 7 August 2005 3 years, 85 days 15 years, 48 days
Jitendrakumar Nanalal Bhatt Patna 18 July 2005 16 October 2007 2 years, 91 days 17 years, 118 days
Kshitij Rameshbhai Vyas Bombay 22 November 1990 25 February 2006 18 July 2006 144 days 15 years, 239 days
Jagdish Madhurlal Panchal Rajasthan 16 September 2007 11 November 2007[‡] 57 days 16 years, 355 days
Anil Ramesh Dave Andhra Pradesh, transferred to Bombay 18 September 1995 7 January 2008 29 April 2010[‡] 2 years, 113 days 14 years, 224 days
Mohit Shantilal Shah Calcutta, transferred to Bombay 24 December 2009 8 September 2015 5 years, 259 days 19 years, 356 days
Rekha Manharlal Doshit Patna 18 September 1995 21 June 2010 12 December 2014 4 years, 175 days 19 years, 86 days
Dhirendra Hiralal Waghela Karnataka, transferred to Orissa then to Bombay 17 September 1999 7 March 2013 10 August 2016 3 years, 157 days 16 years, 329 days
Mukesh Rasikbhai Shah Patna 7 March 2004 12 August 2018 1 November 2018[‡] 82 days 14 years, 240 days
Kalpesh Satyendra Jhaveri Orissa 4 January 2020 1 year, 146 days 15 years, 304 days
Akil Abdulhamid Kureshi Tripura, transferred to Rajasthan 16 November 2019 6 March 2022 2 years, 111 days 18 years, 0 days
Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel Delhi 7 June 2019 12 March 2022 2 years, 279 days 18 years, 6 days
Rashmin Manharbhai Chhaya Gauhati 17 February 2011 23 June 2022 11 January 2023 203 days 11 years, 329 days
Sonia Giridhar Gokani Gujarat 17 February 2011 16 February 2023 25 February 2023 10 days 12 years, 9 days
Ashish Jitendra Desai Kerala 21 November 2011 22 July 2023 4 July 2024 349 days 12 years, 227 days
Nilay Vipinchandra Anjaria Karnataka 25 February 2024 29 May 2025[‡] 1 year, 94 days 13 years, 190 days
Vipul Manubhai Pancholi Patna 1 October 2014 21 July 2025 28 August 2025[‡] 39 days 13 years, 129 days
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Judges appointed as Acting Chief Justice

More information Name, Appointed as ACJ in HC of ...
Name Appointed as ACJ in HC of Date of appointment as Judge Period as Acting Chief Justice Date of retirement[a] Tenure as ACJ Tenure as Judge Remarks Ref..
Tryambkalal Umedchand Mehta Himachal Pradesh 17 November 1969 20 Feb 1978 – 24 Jul 1978 11 December 1979 155 days 10 years, 25 days Became permanent [7]
P. D. Desai Gujarat 19 February 1970 15 Mar 1983 – 27 Sep 1983 14 December 1992 197 days 22 years, 300 days -- [8]
Batukumar Kantiprasad Mehta Gujarat 2 Feb 1985 – 20 Mar 1985 21 July 1986 47 days 16 years, 153 days
Rameshkumar Chunilal Mankad Gujarat 28 December 1977 13 Aug 1990 – 1 Dec 1990 18 February 1992 111 days 14 years, 53 days
7 Oct 1991 – 18 Feb 1992 135 days Retired as ACJ
Shailesh Bhadrayulal Majmudar Gujarat 3 October 1978 19 Feb 1992 – 14 Jun 1992 18 September 1994[‡] 117 days 15 years, 351 days --
G. T. Nanavati Orissa 19 July 1979 14 Dec 1993 – 30 Jan 1994 5 March 1995[‡] 48 days 15 years, 230 days Became permanent
Ramesh Amritlal Mehta Gujarat 5 September 1983 11 Sep 1995 – 1 Jul 1996 4 May 1998 294 days 14 years, 242 days --
5 Jan 1997 – 19 Oct 1997 288 days
C. K. Thakker Gujarat 21 June 1990 9 Sep 1999 – 24 Jan 2000 6 June 2004[‡] 138 days 13 years, 352 days
B. C. Patel Gujarat 5 Mar 2002 – 16 Mar 2002 7 August 2005 12 days 15 years, 48 days
Niranjan Janmashanker Pandya Bombay 21 Feb 2000 – 30 Mar 2000 6 August 2000 39 days 10 years, 47 days [9]
J. N. Bhatt Gujarat 18 Mar 2003 – 24 Aug 2003 16 October 2007 160 days 17 years, 118 days [8]
Behram Jahanbux Shethna Gujarat 22 November 1990 28 Mar 2006 – 2 Apr 2006 14 April 2007[RES] 6 days 16 years, 144 days
Jagdish Madhurlal Panchal Rajasthan 16 Jul 2007 – 15 Sep 2007 11 November 2007[‡] 62 days 16 years, 355 days Became permanent [10]
M. S. Shah Gujarat 18 September 1995 1 Jul 2008 – 3 Sep 2008 8 September 2015 65 days 19 years, 356 days -- [8]
16 Nov 2009 – 8 Dec 2009 23 days
Ashokkumar Laxminarayan Dave Gujarat 11 December 1997 13 Sep 2011 – 7 Nov 2011 4 December 2012 56 days 14 years, 360 days
Jayant Maganlal Patel Gujarat 3 December 2001 13 Aug 2015 – 12 Feb 2016 25 September 2017[RES] 184 days 15 years, 297 days Transferred to Karnataka [11]
K. S. Jhaveri Rajasthan 7 March 2004 17 Feb 2017 – 1 Apr 2017 4 January 2020 44 days 15 years, 304 days -- [10]
A. A. Kureshi Gujarat 2 Nov 2018 – 13 Nov 2018 6 March 2022 12 days 18 years, 0 days Transferred to Bombay
D. N. Patel Jharkhand 4 Aug 2013 – 15 Nov 2013 12 March 2022 104 days 18 years, 6 days -- [12]
13 Aug 2014 – 31 Oct 2014 80 days
10 Jun 2017 – 10 Aug 2018 1 year, 62 days
24 May 2019 – 6 Jun 2019 14 days Elevated as CJ of Delhi
A. S. Dave Gujarat 8 October 2004 14 Nov 2018 – 9 Sep 2019 4 December 2019 300 days 15 years, 58 days -- [13]
R. M. Chhaya Gujarat 17 February 2011 2 Sep 2021 – 12 Oct 2021 11 January 2023 41 days 11 years, 329 days
S. G. Gokani Gujarat 17 February 2011 13 Feb 2023 – 15 Feb 2023 25 February 2023 3 days 12 years, 9 days Became permanent
A. J. Desai Gujarat 21 November 2011 26 Feb 2023 – 22 Jul 2023 4 July 2024 147 days 12 years, 227 days Elevated as CJ of Kerala
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  1. [a]
    this includes date of resignation, death and elevation to supreme court
  2. [b]
    also includes tenure as Chief Justice

Judges elevated to Supreme Court

This section includes the list of only those judges whose parent high court was Gujarat. This includes those judges who, at the time of elevation to Supreme Court of India, may not be serving in Gujarat High Court but this list does not include judges who at the time of elevation were serving in Gujarat High Court but does not have Gujarat as their Parent High Court.

More information #, Name of the Judge ...
# Name of the Judge Image Date of Appointment Date of Retirement Tenure Immediately preceding office
In Parent High Court In Supreme Court In High Court(s) In Supreme Court Total tenure[a]
1 Prafullachandra Natwarlal Bhagwati 21 July 1960 17 July 1973 20 December 1986 12 years, 362 days 13 years, 157 days 26 years, 153 days 5th CJ of Gujarat HC
2 Dhirajlal Ambelal Desai 19 February 1968 30 September 1977 8 May 1985 9 years, 223 days 7 years, 221 days 17 years, 79 days Judge of Gujarat HC
3 Manharlal Pranlal Thakkar 2 July 1969 15 March 1983 3 November 1988 13 years, 256 days 5 years, 234 days 19 years, 125 days 8th CJ of Gujarat HC
4 Aziz Mushabber Ahmadi 2 September 1976 14 December 1988 24 March 1997 12 years, 103 days 8 years, 101 days 20 years, 204 days Judge of Gujarat HC
5 Shailesh Bhadrayulal Majumdar 3 October 1978 19 September 1994 19 August 2000 15 years, 351 days 5 years, 336 days 21 years, 322 days 14th CJ of Karnataka HC
6 Girish Thakorlal Nanavati 19 July 1979 6 March 1995 16 February 2000 15 years, 230 days 4 years, 348 days 20 years, 213 days 15th CJ of Karnataka HC
7 Manharlal Bhikhalal Shah 28 January 1983 9 December 1998 24 September 2003 15 years, 315 days 4 years, 290 days 20 years, 240 days 30th CJ of Bombay HC
8 Chunilal Karsandas Thakker 21 June 1990 7 June 2004 10 November 2008 13 years, 352 days 4 years, 157 days 18 years, 143 days 33rd CJ of Bombay HC
9 Jagdish Madhurlal Panchal 22 November 1990 12 November 2007 5 October 2011 16 years, 355 days 3 years, 328 days 20 years, 318 days 26th CJ of Rajasthan HC
10 Anil Ramesh Dave 18 September 1995 30 April 2010 18 November 2016 14 years, 224 days 6 years, 203 days 21 years, 62 days 38th CJ of Bombay HC
11 Mukesh Rasikbhai Shah 7 March 2004 2 November 2018 15 May 2023 14 years, 240 days 4 years, 195 days 19 years, 70 days 41st CJ of Patna HC
12 Bela Trivedi 17 February 2011 31 August 2021 9 June 2025 10 years, 195 days 3 years, 283 days 14 years, 113 days Judge of Gujarat HC
13 Jamshed Burjor Pardiwala 17 February 2011 9 May 2022 Incumbent 11 years, 81 days 4 years, 86 days 15 years, 167 days Judge of Gujarat HC
14 Nilay Vipinchandra Anjaria 21 November 2011 30 May 2025 13 years, 190 days 1 year, 65 days 14 years, 255 days 34th CJ of Karnataka HC
15 Vipul Manubhai Pancholi 1 October 2014 29 August 2025 10 years, 332 days 339 days 11 years, 306 days 45th CJ of Patna HC
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  1. [a]
    Includes both tenure as High Court Judge as well as Supreme Court Judge

See also

References

See also

External links

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