| Jharkhand High Court झारखंड उच्च न्यायालय | |
|---|---|
 The High Court building | |
 | |
| 23°18′51″N 85°15′36″E / 23.3141°N 85.26°E | |
| Established | 15 November 2000 |
| Jurisdiction |  Jharkhand |
| Location | Ranchi, Jharkhand |
| Coordinates | 23°18′51″N 85°15′36″E / 23.3141°N 85.26°E |
| Composition method | Presidential appointment with confirmation of the Chief Justice of India and Governor of respective state. |
| Authorised by | Constitution of India |
| Appeals to | Supreme Court of India |
| Judge term length | Mandatory retirement at age 62 |
| Number of positions | 25 |
| Website | jharkhandhighcourt |
| Chief Justice | |
| Currently | Tarlok Singh Chauhan |
| Since | 24 July 2025 |
Jharkhand High Court is the High Court for the Indian state of Jharkhand. It was established on 15 November 2000 under the Bihar Reorganisation Act, 2000, following the bifurcation of the state of Bihar and succeeded the jurisdiction previously exercised by the Patna High Court over the region.[1] Since 24 May 2023, the High Court has been functioning from a newly constructed complex at Dhurwa, Ranchi, which was inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu.[2] The campus is spread across 165 acres, making it the largest High Court complex in India by area.[3][4]
History
[edit]
A circuit bench of the Patna High Court was established at Ranchi on 6 March 1972 under clause 36 of the letters patent of the Patna High Court. The circuit bench became the permanent bench of the Patna High Court, by the High Court at Patna (Establishment of Permanent Bench at Ranchi) Act 1976 (Act 57 of 1976) on 8 April 1976. This permanent bench finally became the Jharkhand High Court on reorganisation of Bihar state on 15 November 2000, under the Bihar Reorganisation Act, 2000.
In 2013, the Government of Jharkhand approved plans for a new High Court complex at Dhurwa, Ranchi, in view of the growing caseload and limited capacity of the old building at Doranda. Construction began in 2015 on an area of about 165 acres, of which 72 acres were earmarked for the main court complex. The foundation stone was laid with the aim of creating a modern judicial infrastructure and work continued for nearly eight years.
The new building of the Jharkhand High Court was inaugurated by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, on 24 May 2023 in the presence of the Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, and other dignitaries.[2][5] Spread over 165 acres, it is the largest High Court complex in India by area. The project was built at an estimated cost of around ₹550 crore for construction, while including land acquisition and associated facilities, the overall cost has been estimated at close to ₹1,000 crore.[6]
The main structure contains 25 air-conditioned courtrooms with adjoining judges’ chambers, ante rooms and waiting areas. The Chief Justice’s block includes a video conference hall, kitchen, dining area and a large conference room. For the Bar, the complex provides two large halls with a combined capacity of 1,660 advocates, 76 senior advocate chambers with attached toilets and pantries, 369 additional lawyer chambers, recreation halls for men and women, clerks’ halls and a bar room. The central lobby measures nearly 14,000 square feet.[7]
Supporting infrastructure includes 12 conference rooms, registrar chambers, offices for the Advocate General and public prosecutors, auditoriums, committee halls, typist blocks, dispensaries, barracks and two canteens. The complex also provides parking space for about 2,000 vehicles and is under surveillance with more than 500 CCTV cameras. Built with sustainable features, the new campus has a 2,000 KVA solar system that supplies about 40% of its power needs, a sewage treatment plant of 200 KLD capacity to recycle water, and more than 4,400 trees planted within the grounds.[8] The entire facility is designed as a modern judicial hub combining functionality, security, and environmental sustainability.[9]
Chief Justice
[edit]Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan is the chief justice of the Jharkhand High Court since 23 July, 2025.[10]
| Chief Justice | Portrait | Term | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Ravi S. Dhavan | 6 October 1999 |
15 November 2000 | |
| 29 | B.M. Lal | 29 September 1995 | 6 October 1999 | |
| 28 | D.P. Wadhwa | 29 September 1995 | 21 March 1997 | |
| 27 | G.P. Patnaik | 19 May 1995 | 11 September 1995 | |
| 26 | K. Venkataswamy | 19 September 1994 | 6 March 1995 | |
| 25 | K. S. Paripoornan | 24 January 1994 | 11 June 1994 | |
| 24 | Bimal Chandra Basak | 18 March 1991 | 21 October 1994 | |
| 23 | Gangadhar Ganesh Sohani | 24 October 1989 | 17 December 1990 | |
| 22 | Shushil Kumar Jha | 19 October 1989 | 23 October 1989 | |
| 21 | Dipak Kumar Sen | 1 May 1988 | 1 May 1989 | |
| 20 | Bhagwati Prasad Jha | 2 January 1988 | 2 January 1988 | |
| 19 | Surjit Singh Sandhawalia | 29 November 1983 | 27 July 1987 | |
| 18 | Krishna Ballabh Narayan Singh | 19 July 1976 | 12 March 1982 | |
| 17 | Shyam Nandan Prasad Singh | 3 October 1974 | 1 May 1976 | |
| 16 | Nand Lall Untwalia | 29 September 1972 | 3 October 1974 | |
| 15 | Ujjal Narayan Sinha | 5 September 1970 | 29 September 1972 | |
| 14 | Satish Chandra Mishra | 9 November 1968 | 5 September 1970 | |
| 13 | Ramaswamy Lakshmi Narasimhan | 4 January 1965 | 2 August 1968 | |
| 12 | Vaidyanathier Ramaswami | 30 April 1956 | 4 January 1965 | |
| 11 | Sudhansu Kumar Das | 10 January 1955 | 30 April 1956 | |
| 10 | Syed Jafar Imam | 3 September 1953 | 10 January 1955 | |
| 9 | David Ezra Reuben | 1 June 1952 | 2 September 1953 | |
| 8 | Pandit Lakshami Kant Jha | 8 April 1950 | 1 June 1952 | |
| 7 | Sir Herbert Ribton Meredith | 25 January 1950 | 8 April 1950 | |
| 6 | Sir Clifford Monmohan Agarwala | 9 January 1948 | 24 January 1950 | |
| 5 | Sir Syed Fazl Ali | 19 January 1943 | 14 October 1946 | |
| 4 | Sir Arther Trevor Harries | 10 October 1938 | 19 January 1943 | |
| 3 | Sir Courtney Terrell | 31 March 1928 | 6 May 1938 | |
| 2 | Sir Thomas Fredrick Dawson Miller | 31 October 1917 | 31 March 1928 | |
| 1 | Sir Edward Maynard Des Champs Chamier | 1 March 1916 | 30 October 1917 | |
List of Chief Justices
[edit]| # | Portrait | Chief Justice | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Vinod Kumar Gupta | 2000 – 7 March 2003 | |
| 32 | P. K. Balasubramanyan | 10 March 2003–26 August 2004 | |
| 33 | S. J. Mukhopadhaya | 26 August 2004–2005 | |
| 34 | P. K. Balasubramanyan | 2005–2005 | |
| 35 | S. J. Mukhopadhaya | 2005–2005 | |
| 36 | Vinod Kumar Gupta | 2005–2005 | |
| 37 | Altamas Kabir | 1 March 2005–8 September 2005 | |
| 38 | Nelavoy Dhinakar | 4 December 2005–10 June 2006 | |
| 39 | S. J. Mukhopadhaya | 10 June 2006–2006 | |
| 40 | M.Y. Eqbal | 2006 – 17 September 2006 | |
| 41 | Nelavoy Dhinakar | 2006–2006 | |
| 42 | M.Y. Eqbal | 2006–2006 | |
| 43 | M. Karpaga Vinayagam | 2006–2008 | |
| 44 | Gyan Sudha Misra | 13 July 2008–29 April 2010 | |
| 45 | Sushil Harkauli | 30 April 2010–21 August 2010 | |
| 46 | Bhagwati Prasad (judge) | 22 August 2010–12 May 2011 | |
| 47 | Prakash Chandra Tatia | 13 May 2011–11 Sep 2011 | |
| 48 | Prakash Chandra Tatia | 11 May 2011 – 12 November 2013 | |
| 49 | R. Banumathi | 16 November 2013 – 13 August 2014[11] | |
| 50 | Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel | 14 August 2014 – 31 October 2014 | |
| 51 | Virender Singh | 1 November 2014 – 6 October 2016 | |
| 52 | Pradip Kumar Mohanty | 7 October 2016 – 8 June 2017 | |
| 53 | Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel | 9 June 2017 – 3 August 2018 | |
| 54 | Aniruddha Bose | 4 August 2018 – 23 May 2019 | |
| 55 | Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel | 24 May 2019 – 6 June 2019 | |
| 56 | Prashant Kumar | 7 June 2019 – 30 August 2019 | |
| 57 | Harish Chandra Mishra | 30 August 2019 – 16 November 2019 | |
| 58 | Dr. Ravi Ranjan | 17 November 2019 – 17 November 2019 | |
| 59 | Harish Chandra Mishra | 17 November 2019 -17 November 2019 | |
| 60 | Ravi Ranjan | 17 November 2019 – 19 December 2022 | |
| 61 | Harish Chandra Mishra | 20 December 2022 – 19 February 2023 | |
| 62 | Sanjaya Kumar Mishra | 20 February 2023 – 28 December 2023 | |
| 63 | Shree Chandrashekhar | 29 December 2023 – 4 July 2024 | |
| 64 | Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi | 5 July 2024 – 19 July 2024 | |
| 65 | Sujit Narayan Prasad | 20 July 2024 – 24 September 2024 | |
| 66 | M. S. Ramachandra Rao | 25 September 2024 – 21 July 2025 | |
| 67 | Tarlok Singh Chauhan | 23 July 2025 – "Incumbent'' |
Judges who served as Chief Justice of India
[edit]| # | Name of the Chief Justice | Image | Date of Appointment as Chief Justice | Date of Retirement | Tenure | Appointed By | Date of elevation to Supreme Court
Nominated by |
Total tenure in Supreme Court (including as CJI) | Tenure in Jharkhand High Court | Office at the time of elevation to Supreme Court | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Altamas Kabir | 
|
29 September 2012 | 18 July 2013 | 293 days | Pranab Mukherjee | 9 September 2005
|
7 years, 314 days | 1 May 2005 – 8 September 2005 (130 days) |
Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court | 39th Chief Justice of India |
References
[edit]- ^ "High Court of Jharkhand, India". jharkhandhighcourt.nic.in. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Droupadi Murmu inaugurates country's largest High Court in Jharkhand". Hindustan Times. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
- ^ "PRESIDENT OF INDIA INAUGURATES NEW BUILDING OF THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND". www.pib.gov.in. Archived from the original on 14 September 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
- ^ "President Murmu inaugurates new Jharkhand High Court building". Deccan Herald. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
- ^ "Prez to open new HC bldg on May 24". The Times of India. 17 May 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
- ^ "Jharkhand's new HC complex biggest in the country by area: Few things to know". The Indian Express. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
- ^ "Jharkhand's new HC complex biggest in the country by area: Few things to know". The Indian Express. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
- ^ "President Draupadi Murmu to inaugurate country's 'largest' high court in Jharkhand | Know Details". India TV News. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
- ^ "President Draupadi Murmu to inaugurate country's 'largest' high court on May 24". Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
- ^ PTI (23 July 2025). "Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan sworn in as Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
- ^ [1]