Patna: The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the appointment of Delhi High Court Judge Justice V. Kameswar Rao as the next Chief Justice of the Patna High Court.
The recommendation was made during the Collegium’s meeting on August 6, 2026, along with proposals to appoint three other judges as Chief Justices of various High Courts.
Justice Rao’s appointment will be finalised after completion of the formal process. Once appointed, he will take charge of the Patna High Court as its Chief Justice.
Who is Justice V. Kameswar Rao?
Justice V. Kameswar Rao was born on August 7, 1965. He completed his B.A. (Honours) in Geography from the University of Delhi in 1987 and obtained his LL.B. in 1990.
He enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi in March 1991 and went on to practise before the Supreme Court, Delhi High Court and the Principal Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).
He also appeared before the Madras High Court and the Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court at Port Blair.
Over the course of his legal career, Justice Rao developed expertise in service and labour matters, arbitration, constitutional law and administrative law. He has also represented public sector undertakings, banks and autonomous bodies.
Designated Senior Advocate in 2010
The Delhi High Court designated Justice Rao as a Senior Advocate in January 2010.
He was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Delhi High Court on April 17, 2013, and became a permanent judge on March 18, 2015.
Justice Rao was subsequently transferred to the Karnataka High Court, where he served as Acting Chief Justice in June 2025. He returned to the Delhi High Court in July 2025.
With the Supreme Court Collegium recommending his appointment, Justice V. Kameswar Rao is now set to take over as Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, subject to completion of the formal appointment process.
The recommendation marks a significant step towards a change in leadership at the Patna High Court.
