Patna: Justice Meenakshi M. Rai was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court on Friday at a ceremony attended by senior constitutional authorities, judges and government officials.
Governor Syed Ata Hasnain administered the oath of office and secrecy at Lok Bhawan in Patna.
Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Minister Shravan Kumar and former Governor Ganga Prasad were among those present at the swearing-in ceremony.
Justice Rai succeeds Justice Sangam Kumar Sahu, who retired on June 4 after serving as Chief Justice of the Patna High Court.
Distinguished Judicial Career
Justice Rai brings to the office decades of experience in both legal practice and judicial administration.
Born on July 12, 1964, in Sikkim, she completed her undergraduate studies in Political Science at Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi. She later obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree from the Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi.
After enrolling with the Delhi Bar in 1990, she practised before the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court.
In the same year, she joined the Sikkim Judicial Service as a Judicial Magistrate First Class-cum-Civil Judge, becoming the first woman from Sikkim to be appointed to the post.
From Trial Courts To High Court
During her judicial career, Justice Rai held a number of key positions within the judiciary, including District and Sessions Judge, Registrar General, Family Court Judge and Special Judge dealing with cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and anti-corruption laws.
She was elevated as a judge of the Sikkim High Court on April 15, 2015, where she served for a decade before her appointment to the Patna High Court.
Colleagues and legal observers regard her as an experienced judicial administrator with extensive exposure to both trial and constitutional courts.
Leadership Transition At Patna High Court
Justice Rai’s appointment comes at a significant time for the Patna High Court, one of the country’s oldest high courts and the principal judicial institution for Bihar.
Her swearing-in marks the beginning of a new chapter in the court’s leadership following the retirement of Justice Sangam Kumar Sahu.
Several judges, senior advocates, administrative officials and other dignitaries attended the ceremony, which formally marked the transfer of judicial leadership at the state’s highest court.
With her appointment, Justice Rai becomes one of the few women to have served as Chief Justice of the Patna High Court and brings a judicial career spanning more than three decades to the role.
