Patna: Patna High Court has received a new permanent Chief Justice. The central government has approved the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation and appointed Justice P.B. Bajnathri as the regular Chief Justice of Patna High Court. This important post had been lying vacant since the former Chief Justice, Justice Bipul M. Pancholi, was elevated to the Supreme Court.
Justice Bajnathri had been serving as the acting Chief Justice since August 27, 2025. With this appointment, he will now take over as the full-time head of the court and will guide its judicial and administrative work. Legal experts believe that this will bring more stability and smooth functioning to the court, as the top position is no longer temporary.
Justice P.B. Bajnathri was born on October 23, 1963, in Karnataka. He completed his law studies at SJRC Law College in Bengaluru and began his legal career in 1990 by practicing at the Karnataka High Court. He worked as Standing Counsel in 1993-94 and was appointed as a notary by the central government in 2006, which further strengthened his legal experience.
His judicial journey began on January 2, 2015, when he was appointed as an additional judge of the Karnataka High Court. Just a few months later, on March 16, 2015, he was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He returned to the Karnataka High Court as a judge in 2018 and was transferred to Patna High Court on October 20, 2021. Since then, he has been actively involved in hearing important cases and contributing to the smooth administration of justice in Bihar.
The appointment of Justice Bajnathri as the full-time Chief Justice is expected to speed up pending work in the High Court and improve its overall efficiency. Lawyers and court staff have welcomed the decision, saying that the presence of a permanent Chief Justice is crucial for timely decision-making and better management of cases.
