The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai, Judge of the Sikkim High Court, as the next Chief Justice of the Patna High Court following the retirement of incumbent Chief Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo on June 4, 2026.
The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai, Judge of the Sikkim High Court, for appointment as the next Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. The recommendation was made during the Collegium meeting held on May 22, 2026. Her appointment will take effect after the retirement of incumbent Chief Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo on June 4, 2026.
Judge Rai was born on July 12, 1964, to Late Madan Mohan Rasaily, former Home Secretary of the Government of Sikkim, and Mrs. Rabi Mala Rasaily, a former teacher at the Baha’i School, Gangtok. She began her education at Tathangchen School in Gangtok before joining Dowhill School, Kurseong, West Bengal, as a boarder, where she completed Class X in 1980. She later studied at Tashi Namgyal Academy, Gangtok, and completed Class XII in 1983.
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She pursued Political Science (Honours) at Lady Shri Ram College for Women on a Merit Scholarship from the Government of Sikkim and graduated in 1986. Thereafter, she enrolled at the Campus Law Centre and completed her LLB in 1989. She was enrolled with the Bar Association of Delhi in 1990 and practised before the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India under an Advocate on Record.
On December 11, 1990, Judge Rai joined the Sikkim Judicial Service as Judicial Magistrate 1st Class-cum-Civil Judge (East), becoming the first woman from Sikkim to hold the post. She was promoted as Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Civil Judge (East & North) in 2000 and later elevated as District & Sessions Judge (Special Division-II) at Gangtok in 2004.
She subsequently served as Registrar and later Registrar General of the Sikkim High Court. During this tenure, she also handled several additional assignments, including District & Sessions Judge (Special Division-I), Judge of the Family Court, Secretary of the High Court Legal Services Committee, Member Secretary of the Sikkim State Legal Services Authority, and Central Project Coordinator of the e-Committee.
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Between 2008 and 2013, Judge Rai served in multiple capacities as District & Sessions Judge for East, North, South, and West Sikkim. During this period, she functioned as Special Judge under the NDPS Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. She also served as Judge of the Family Court, President of Consumer Disputes Redressal Forums, Member Secretary of the State Legal Services Authority, and Chairperson of District Legal Services Authorities.
On July 29, 2013, she was designated as Principal District & Sessions Judge (East) at Gangtok. She was elevated as a Judge of the Sikkim High Court on April 15, 2015, becoming the first woman from Sikkim to be elevated to the High Court Bench.
Judge Rai currently serves as Executive Chairperson of the Sikkim State Legal Services Authority, a position she has held since December 11, 2015. She also served as the Acting Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court on multiple occasions.
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