Centre appoints Hima Kohli as first woman chief justice of Telangana HC

Incumbent chief justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan, who is in the post since April 2019, has been appointed as the chief justice of Uttarakhand HC.
Newly-appointed Telangana HC chief justice Hima Kohli. (Photo| Special Arrangement)
Newly-appointed Telangana HC chief justice Hima Kohli. (Photo| Special Arrangement)

HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court (HC) got its first woman Chief Justice (CJ) on Thursday with the Central government issuing orders to appoint Justice Hima Kohli, the senior-most judge of Delhi High Court, as the new CJ of Telangana HC. The incumbent CJ Raghvendra Singh Chauhan has been appointed as the CJ of Uttarakhand HC.

On December 14, 2020, the Supreme Court (SC) Collegium had made these recommendations and sent the proposals to the Central government for approval and for the President's consent.  In a notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice, it is stated that the President, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution, appointed Justice Hima Kohli to be the CJ of Telangana HC with effect from the date she assumes charge of the new office.

In another notification, the President, in exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 222 of the Constitution, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, transferred Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan as CJ of Uttarakhand HC, and directed him to assume charge of the new office. Justice Hima Kohli was born in Delhi on September 2, 1959.

She did her schooling from St. Thomas school, New Delhi and post graduated in History from St. Stephens’ College, University of Delhi and then completed the LLB course in 1984 and got enrolled as advocate with Bar Council of Delhi.

Justice TBN Radhakrishnan was appointed as the first CJ of Telangana High Court with effect from Jan 1, 2019. After his transfer as CJ of Calcutta High Court in April 2019, Justice Chauhan took charge as the Acting CJ of Telangana HC and later became the CJ in June last year. Justice Chauhan was born on December 24, 1959. He graduated from Arcadia University, Pennsylvania (USA) in 1980 and obtained an LLB degree from Delhi University in 1983.

He enrolled as an advocate with the Rajasthan Bar council on Nov 13, 1983 and practised in the Rajasthan HC from 1986 to June 2005 on criminal law, constitutional law and service law. He was elevated as permanent judge on June 13, 2005.

He took oath as judge of Karnataka HC on March 10, 2015 and was later transferred as judge of Hyderabad HC, which was common to both AP and Telangana. He took oath as judge of erstwhile Hyderabad HC on Nov 23, 2018. The Hyderabad HC later became the HC for Telangana on Jan 1, 2019.

13 judges in Telangana HC

Apart from the Chief Justice, the strength of Telangana HC judges now stands at 13 as against the sanctioned strength of 24. The SC Collegium had sent its proposals to the President on December 14.

Served as legal advisor in Delhi Pollution Control Committee

Justice Hima Kohli served as legal advisor to the Public Grievances Commission, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and other private organisations. After her appointment as an additional judge of Delhi High Court on May 29, 2006, she became the permanent judge on August 29, 2007. 

She was also appointed as the chairperson of a high-powered committee constituted by the Delhi government on March 26 this year, in terms of the SC order dated March 23 for decongestion of jails in all the States and Union territories in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

Apart from performing her official duties as a Judge, she takes keen interest in promoting mediation as an alternative dispute resolution forum, in highlighting the role of judiciary in preservation of ecology and environment and the role of Family Courts in resolving family disputes. 

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