The Centre on Sunday appointed four judges, including two who are set to retire in the next five days, as chief justices of high courts.
Justice Sonia Giridhar Gokani is appointed as chief justice of Gujarat High Court. She is the senior-most judge of the Gujarat HC.
With the elevation of Chief Justice Aravind Kumar to the SC, Justice Sonia Gokani is set to become the first woman judge to helm affairs at Gujarat HC in 63 years, reported Bar and Bench.
However, she will retire on February 25 upon attaining the age of 62.
Justice Sabina is functioning as the acting chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.
The Supreme Court (SC) Collegium had asked the government to immediately appoint her as the chief justice following the elevation of Justice Aravind Kumar, HC chief justice so far, as a judge of the SC. With the Centre approving the SC Collegium list, he was elevated to the top court on Friday.
Justice Gokani is drawn from the judicial service of Gujarat. "Besides being the senior-most judge, the appointment of Justice Gokani as Chief Justice will bring a sense of inclusion and facilitate a representation for judges drawn from the services in the office of Chief Justice," the SC Collegium had said last week while recommending her name.
Justice Jaswant Singh, senior-most judge of the Odisha High Court was appointed as the chief justice of the Tripura High Court. He is due to retire on February 22.
The office of the Tripura HC chief justice has been lying vacant for some time following retirement of Justice Indrajit Mahanty.
India has 25 high courts. While SC judges retire at 65, HC judges resigns office on attaining the age of 62 years.
Justice Sandeep Mehta, Judge, Rajasthan High Court has been appointed as chief justice of the Gauhati High Court while Justice N Kotiswar Singh, Judge, Gauhati High Court has been made chief justice of the High Court of J-K and Ladakh.
(With PTI inputs)
