The Central government has approved the appointment of Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. His elevation follows the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium after the retirement of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Srivastava.
The Central government on Thursday approved the appointment of Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari as the new Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. The announcement was made shortly after the retirement of the current Chief Justice, Justice Manindra Mohan Srivastava, who demitted office on March 5.
Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal confirmed the development through a post on X (formerly Twitter), officially announcing the government’s decision to elevate Justice Dharmadhikari to lead one of the country’s oldest High Courts.
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Justice Dharmadhikari was serving as a judge of the Kerala High Court at the time of his elevation. His appointment follows the recommendation made by the Supreme Court Collegium during its meeting held on February 26, 2026. The Collegium proposed his name for the position of Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, which has now been accepted by the Central government.
His parent High Court is the Madhya Pradesh High Court, where he spent a significant portion of his legal and judicial career.
Justice Dharmadhikari was born on July 8, 1966, in Raipur. He began his legal career in 1992 and practiced law for more than two decades before the Madhya Pradesh High Court. During his time as an advocate, he handled a wide range of cases, including civil, criminal, and constitutional matters. His extensive practice helped him build strong expertise in multiple areas of law.
During his years at the Bar, Justice Dharmadhikari also represented the Union government. He served as Standing Counsel for the Union of India from 2000 to 2015. In addition to this role, he represented several government departments and public sector institutions. These included the Income Tax Department, the Reserve Bank of India, and the Central Excise Department, where he appeared as Senior Standing Counsel.
His judicial career began in 2016 when he was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on April 7, 2016. After serving for nearly two years in that capacity, he was confirmed as a Permanent Judge on March 17, 2018.
Justice Dharmadhikari continued to serve on the Madhya Pradesh High Court bench for several years before being transferred to the Kerala High Court. His transfer to the Kerala High Court took place on April 23, 2025, where he served as a judge until his elevation as Chief Justice.
With the Central government now approving the Collegium’s recommendation, Justice Dharmadhikari will take over as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court following the retirement of Justice Manindra Mohan Srivastava.
His appointment marks another important development in the leadership of the Madras High Court, which plays a crucial role in the administration of justice in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Justice Dharmadhikari’s long experience at the Bar, his service as government counsel, and his years on the bench are expected to guide his tenure as the Chief Justice of the High Court.
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