RANCHI: The Central Government on Friday notified the appointment of Justice M S Sonak -- a Bombay High Court Judge -- as the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court, following the impending retirement of incumbent Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan.
Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan is scheduled to retire on January 8, 2026. Justice Sonak will assume charge thereafter. The appointment follows the recommendation made by the Supreme Court Collegium on December 18, 2025.
Born on November 28, 1964, Justice M S Sonak completed his schooling from Don Bosco High School at Panaji in Goa. He earned his B.Sc. degree from Dhempe College of Arts and Science and completed his LL.B. from M. S. College of Law, Panaji, affiliated to Bombay University, securing First Class.
He enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa in October 1988 and practised at the Panaji Bench of the Bombay High Court.
Justice Sonak’s areas of practice included civil and constitutional law, labour and service law, environmental law, commercial and tax laws, company law, and public interest litigation.
During his legal career, Justice Sonak also served as Additional Standing Counsel for the Central Government, Special Counsel for the State Government and represented various statutory corporations. He was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on June 21, 2013.
Justice Sonak’s appointment is part of a larger reshuffle of Chief Justices of High Courts, cleared by the Centre based on recommendations of the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
On Thursday, the Centre notified the appointment and transfer of Chief Justices of High Courts of Kerala, Patna and Meghalaya. However, the apex court Collegium’s proposal to appoint Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta of the Allahabad High Court as Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court is yet to be acted upon by the Centre.