Centre Notifies Appointment Of Chief Justice For J&K&L High Court, Transfers Madhya Pradesh HC Judge To Kerala HC

Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari, currently serving at the Madhya Pradesh High Court, has been transferred to the Kerala High Court. The recommendation for his transfer was made by the Supreme Court Collegium after meetings held on March 20, March 24, and April 3, 2025.

Born on July 8, 1966, in Raipur, Justice Dharmadhikari began his legal career in 1992 and practiced at the Madhya Pradesh High Court for 24 years. He served as Standing Counsel for the Union of India from 2000 to 2015. His judicial career began with his appointment as an Additional Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on April 7, 2016, and he was made a Permanent Judge on March 17, 2018.

In another major development, the Ministry has cleared the appointment of Justice Arun Palli of the Punjab and Haryana High Court as the new Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court. His appointment comes in the wake of the retirement of Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan on April 9, 2025, with Justice Sanjeev Kumar having served as the Acting Chief Justice since April 10.

Born on September 18, 1964, Justice Palli is the son of a Senior Advocate who later served as a Judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. He completed his Commerce degree and went on to earn a law degree from Panjab University, Chandigarh, in 1988. He started his legal practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court and was appointed Additional Advocate General for Punjab in September 2004, a role he held until March 2007.

Designated a Senior Advocate on April 26, 2007, Justice Palli has appeared before several courts including the Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, and Himachal Pradesh High Court. He was elevated to the Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on December 28, 2013.

Justice Palli has also made notable contributions to legal services. He has served as the Executive Chairman of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority since May 31, 2023, and was appointed to the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) on October 31, 2023, for a two-year term.