Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad To Serve As Acting Chief Justice Of Jharkhand High Court Following Retirement Of Justice BR Sarangi
Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad has been appointed as the acting Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court. This appointment comes as incumbent Chief Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi demits office after a brief tenure lasting nearly a fortnight.
Justice Sarangi was appointed as the Chief Justice on July 3 and will demit the office today. Justice Prasad will take charge as the acting CJ from tomorrow.
The Law Ministry's notification dated July 18, 2024, stated, “In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad, Judge of the Jharkhand High Court, to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice of that High Court with effect from 20.07.2024 consequent upon retirement of Shri Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi, Chief Justice, Jharkhand High Court on 19.07.2024.”
Justice Prasad is currently the senior-most Judge of the Jharkhand High Court. He was appointed as an Additional Judge there on September 26, 2014. He was subsequently transferred to the Orissa High Court on March 12, 2015.
During his tenure at the Orissa High Court, Justice Prasad was nominated to various committees, including the Judicial Academy and Training, Computer Committee, e-Committee, Juvenile Justice Committee, Building Committee (High Court and Lower Court), Transfer Committee, Vehicle Committee, Research Assistant Appointment Committee, Family Court Counsellor Appointment Committee, and Class-IV Appointment Committee. He also served as Chairman of the High Power Committee at Utkal University (Law faculty).
Upon repatriation from the Orissa High Court, Justice Prasad took oath as a Judge of the Jharkhand High Court on November 22, 2018.