CJ administers oath to 3 new Judges of J&K High Court

08/04/2020

Jammu, Apr 7: Chief Justice Gita Mittal today administered oath of office to Three newly appointed judges of J&K High Court at a modest oath ceremony held in the Court Room of the Chief Justice here at High Court Complex.
The Judges who took oath of Office are Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul, Justice Sanjay Dhar and Justice Puneet Gupta.
On account of guidelines with regard to measures for containment of COVID19 pandemic in the country issued by the Government of India and the Government of Union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and in order to avoid gathering as well as to maintain social distancing, the other Judges of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir joined the oath ceremony through Video Conference. The Oath ceremony was live streamed on internet through webcast also.
The Central government had appointed Justices VinodChatterjiKoul, Sanjay Dhar and Puneet Gupta as Judges of the High Court last week. Their swearing in ceremony which was conducted today was streamed online, keeping in view the restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the Corona virus. They will assume charge of their respective offices in the above order of seniority.
The oath ceremony was attended by other Judges of the High Court through video conferencing wherein Judges joined while sitting from their respective residences at Jammu, Chandigarh and Srinagar and the ceremony was simultaneously live streamed through webcast on the internet. Advocate General, Assistant Solicitor General of India of both the wings of the High Court, President Bar Association, High Court of J&K, Jammu, Secretary Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs UT of J&K also joined the oath ceremony through Video Linkage.
Warrants of appointments of Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul, Justice Sanjay Dhar and Justice Puneet Gupta read by Jawad Ahmed Officiating Registrar General High Court of Jammu and Kashmir in English and Hindi. Earlier, in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the warrant of the appointment of a Judge of the High Court used to be in three languages- English, Urdu and Hindi and owing to the reason that state language was Urdu, the warrant used to be read in English and Urdu version only. With the appointment of Justice Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul, Justice Sanjay Dhar and Justice Puneet Gupta as Judge of the High Court, the strength of J&K High Court is increased from Nine to Tweleve. The J&K High Court has sanctioned strength of 17 Judges including 13 Permanent Judges & 4 Additional Judges.
Notably, since the Constitution of Jammu & Kashmir ceased to have effect since August 5, the three judges were sworn oath under the Indian Constitution. Recently, Justice Rajnesh Oswal became the first judge of the J&K High Court to take oath under the Indian Constitution. All previous judges of the High Court had taken oath under the J&K Constitution.
Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul born on January 21, 1964 at Village Wanpoo, Erstwhile District Anantnag, Presently District Kulgam. He did his early schooling from Govt. School Srandoo and Govt. School Kanipora and further schooling from Govt. Hr. Secondary School, Anantnag. He did his Graduation (B.Sc.) from Govt. Degree College, Anantnag and LL.B. from Kashmir University, Srinagar in the year 1989. He migrated alongwith his parents and siblings to Jammu in January 1990 due to turmoil in Kashmir. He was enrolled as an Advocate with J&K Bar Council in 1990 and started practicing at High Court of J&K with Sr. Advocate Sh. Jaswant Singh Kotwal.
He cleared the KCS (Judicial) Examiantion, 1993 and secured first position. He joined as Munsiff in 1995 and his first posting was as District Mobile Magistrate (Traffic), Udhampur; wherefrom he was promoted as Sub Judge in 1997 and was posted as Sub Judge (Electricity Magistrate), Batote. He was posted as the very first Railway Magistrate, Jammu. He served as Sub Judge, Bhaderwah, Sub Judge Ramban, Municipal Magistrate, Jammu, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Udhampur. He was also posted as Deputy Registrar, High Court of J&K wherefrom he was promoted as District and Sessions Judge in the year 2007 and posted as Addl. District & Sessions Judge, Kathua. As District and Sessions Judge, he served in various courts. He served as Addl. District & Sessions Judge, Kathua, 2nd Addl. District & Sessions Judge, Jammu, Addl. District & Sessions Judge, Udhampur, Principal District & Sessions Judge, Anantnag, Principal District & Sessions Judge, Kathua, Special Judge Anti-Corruption (CBI Cases), Jammu. He has also served as Registrar Vigilance, High Court of J&K and Principal District & Sessions Judge, Jammu and Chairman, Sales Tax Appellate Tribunal, J&K.
Justice Sanjay Dhar born on 11th May 1965 at Village Danow Bogund District Kulgam and initial education at Kulgam. He did his Graduation in Science Subjects from SP College Srinagar and LLB from University of Kashmir in 1990. He started practice as Advocate in Delhi and appointed as Munsiff in the year 1997 and promoted as Sub-Judge in the year 2001 and he was promoted as District and Sessions Judge in the year 2007. He remained posted as CJM Jammu, Special Judge Anticorruption Jammu, CBI Court Jammu, Presiding officer MACT, Principal District & Sessions Judge Leh, Kathua and Rajouri. He remained posted as Registrar Vigilance and Registrar General.
Justice Puneet Gupta born on 10th April 1963, Early schooling in KV jammu and Mahavir Jain High School Jammu, graduation and later LLB(1985) from jammu university. joined as Munsif in the year 1995 and promoted as district and sessions judge in the year 1997. Posted also as sp judge Anti-corruption Jammu, CBI, Registrar judicial J&K High court Jammu, Twice Register vigilance JK High Court and member Sales Tax Tribunal and member Special Tribunal Jammu.

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