Justice Biswanath Somadder sworn in as new Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court
A Correspondent
SHILLONG: Justice Biswanath Somadder was sworn in as the ninth Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court on Monday.
Governor Tathagata Roy administered the oath of office to 56-year-old Justice Somadder at Raj Bhavan.
Meghalaya Law Minister James Sangma, Chief Secretary MS Rao, Meghalaya High Court judge Justice Hamarsan Singh Thangkhiew, Director General of Police R Chandranathan attended the swearing-in-ceremony.
Justice Somadder, who was earlier judge of Allahabad High Court, arrived in Shillong on Sunday evening along with his wife after travelling on road from Allahabad via Kolkata.
He left Allahabad on Friday and arrived in Kolkata on Saturday, and then proceeded to Shillong after a short rest at his Salt Lake residence.
Justice Somadder embarked on a road journey since air and rail passenger services are suspended due to the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the Meghalaya Chief Justice and his entourage after their travel have been asked to follow the national protocol.
“The Chief Justice understands the situation prevailing not only in Meghalaya but all over the country,” Tynsong said.
Justice Biswanath Somadder will be the ninth Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court. He succeeds Chief Justice Muhammad Rafiq, who has been transferred as Chief Justice of Orissa High Court.
Enrolled as an advocate on July 21, 1989, Justice Somadder practiced at Calcutta High Court as well as the Supreme Court. He also appeared before CESTAT, Eastern Regional Bench.
He was elevated to the Bench of the High Court at Calcutta as a permanent Judge on June 22, 2006 and was appointed as the Executive Chairman of the State Legal Services Authority, West Bengal, in 2018.
Justice Somadder was also judge-in-charge, Administrative Department, High Court at Calcutta, to discharge the functions assigned under the Appellate Side Rules of the High Court at Calcutta, with effect from November 19, 2018. He was also Acting Chief Justice from January 1, 2019 till April 3, 2019.
Justice Somadder assumed charge as Judge of Allahabad High Court on October 17, 2019.