3 new Himachal HC judges sworn in

Ranjan Sharma, Bipin Chander Negi and Rakesh Kainthla were sworn in as the judges of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday at a ceremony here at Raj Bhawan. Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla administered the oath of office to the newly appointed judges in the presence of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court Mamidanna Satya Ratna Sri Ramachandra Rao, leader of the opposition Jai Ram Thakur, ministers and others dignitaries.

With the induction of three new judges, the strength of the high court has risen to 12. Justice Ranjan Sharma and Justice Bipin Chander Negi advocates while Justice Rakesh Kainthla is from the judicial services.

Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena conducted the proceedings of the oath ceremony and read out the warrant of appointment issued by the President of India regarding appointment of three judges of the high court of Himachal Pradesh.

Born on August 21, 1968, Justice Sharma hails from Dharamshala in Kangra district. He did his schooling from Government School Dharamshala and was awarded gold medal in LL.B from Rohtak University.

Justice Sharma was enrolled as an advocate in December 1991 and had a practice in different fields of law. He was designated as a senior advocate in March 2019. He also held the post of additional advocate general twice -- in 2008 and 2018.

Hailing from Kinnaur district, Justice Negi did his schooling from St. Edward's School, Shimla and Delhi Public School, RK Puram in the national capital. Thereafter, he did his B.A Economics (Honours) from Sri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University, and LL.B from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla. He was enrolled as an advocate in 1994 and designated as senior advocate in 2015.

Born on May 23, 1968 in Shimla, Justice Kainthla did his schooling from DAV School, Lakkar Bazar in Shimla, graduation from Government College, Sanjauli, Shimla and LL.B from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla.

He was enrolled as an advocate in 1991 and had a practice in different fields of law. Justice Rakesh Kainthla stood first in Himachal Judicial Service Examination in 1995 and Limited Competitive Examination of Judicial Officers in 2010 and was appointed as additional district and sessions judge.

Before elevation as judge of Himachal Pradesh High Court, he was posted as the district and sessions judge in Mandi.