The President of India appointed Hon’ble Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo, a judge of the Orissa High Court, as the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, effective upon taking charge, following a recommendation from the Supreme Court Collegium.
Justice Dixit Krishna Shripad was officially sworn in as a judge of the Orissa High Court on Monday, after transferring from the Karnataka High Court. With over 30 years in the legal field, he has held significant positions, including Assistant Solicitor General of India and has represented key institutions throughout his career.
The government has announced that Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar will take over as the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) after Rajiv Kumar. Gyanesh Kumar is currently the senior-most election commissioner after Rajiv Kumar. His appointment was confirmed late this evening. Gyanesh Kumar will oversee key elections, including assembly polls in five states: West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu (all ruled by the Opposition), and Bihar and Assam (both NDA-ruled). The Bihar election is set for later this year, while the others are scheduled for 2026.
The Supreme Court of India Today (Feb 3) set February 12 to hear petitions challenging the 2023 law that allows the government to control the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs). The law removes the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the selection panel, replacing them with a government minister, raising concerns about political interference in elections. Advocates Prashant Bhushan and Varun Thakur argue that this move violates the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling, which mandated an independent committee for such appointments. The Centre opposes the plea, leading to a high-stakes legal battle over India’s electoral independence.
The CJI led bench in Supreme Court Today (Jan 30) permitted High Courts to appoint retired judges temporarily (ad-hoc) to help reduce the massive backlog of criminal appeals. These judges will work alongside regular judges, but their number cannot exceed 10% of the sanctioned strength. The court also eased earlier conditions for such appointments, making it easier to bring in experienced judges to speed up case resolutions.
