Over two days, Meghalaya, Patna, Kerala and Jharkhand get new chief justices
Despite Justice Revati Mohite-Dere’s appointment as Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court, India has only two women chief justices for its 25 High Courts.
The Leaflet
2 January 2026
THE UNION GOVERNMENT on Thursday appointed Chief Justices to the High Courts of Meghalaya, Patna, and Kerala. On Friday, it also appointed the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court.
Justice Revati Mohite-Dere takes lead in Meghalaya
Justice Revati Mohite-Dere has been appointed as Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.
The incumbent Chief Justice there, Justice Soumen Sen, was transferred to the Kerala High Court as Chief Justice upon the retirement of the current Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court on 9 January 2026.
Justice Dere hails from the Bombay High Court and is presently the senior-most judge there.
Justice Dere was appointed as a judge of the Bombay High Court on June 21, 2013. She is due to retire on April 16, 2027.
Justice Sen hails from the Calcutta High Court. He was appointed as Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court on September 26, 2025. He is due to retire on July 26, 2027.
Justice Dere hails from the Bombay High Court and is presently the senior-most judge there.
Orissa’s Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo becomes chief of Patna HC
The Government has also appointed Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo as the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court.
Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo hails from the Orissa High Court. He was appointed as a judge of the Orissa High Court on July 2, 2014 and is due to retire on June 4, 2026.
The Collegium on December 18, 2025 made recommendations for the appointment of these judges as Chief Justices and one transfer as Chief Justice.
Justice M.S. Sonak’s appointment as Jharkhand’s chief justice confirmed
On January 2, 2026, Justice M.S. Sonak, judge of the Bombay High Court was appointed as chief justice of the Jharkhand High Court. He will be taking the mantle after Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, the incumbent chief justice in Jharkhand retires on January 8.
Appointments in the limbo; only two women Chief Justices across 25 HCs
However, the Government is yet to notify the appointment of Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta, judge of the Allahabad High Court, as Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court, and of Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque, judge of the Kerala High Court, as Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court.