Justice Khehar has taken the charge as 44th Chief Justice of India after taking oath on Wednesday by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar succeeded Justice Tirath Singh Thakura and is the first CJI from the Sikh community. As an apex court judge, Justice Khehar assumed office on September 13, 2011. He will serve the Indian judiciary for less than eight months before retiring on August 27.
Justice Khehar was head of the two constitutions benches
Justice Khehar has headed two constitutions Benches of the apex court, one that had revived the collegium system of appointing higher judiciary judges and the other that restored the congress government headed by Chief Minister Nabam Tuki in Arunachal Pradesh.
He was also associated with the impeachment proceedings of apex court Justice V Ramaswami and Karnataka HC Chief Justice PD Dinakaran.
To defend Justice Ramaswami, he appeared as counsel before the judges Inquiry Committee headed by Justice PB Sawant of the apex court. Justice Ramaswami survived the impeachment proceeding in the Lok Sabha in the1990s.
Justice Khehar and his roots
Justice Khehar was born on August 28, 1952, and graduated in science from Government College, Chandigarh in 1974. He passed LLB from Punjab University, Chandigarh in 1977 and LLM in 1979.
He was initiated his law practice as an advocate in 1979 and practised mainly in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Himachal Pradesh High Court and Supreme Court.
In January 1992, he was appointed as Additional Advocate General, Punjab and then a senior Standing Counsel, Union Territory Chandigarh.
Justice Khehar was elevated to the bench of Punjab and Haryana High Court on February 8, 1999. Justice Khehra was served High Court twice as an Acting Chief Justice.
Then, he was transferred to Uttarakhand High court on November as Chief Justice and thereafter he was transferred as Chief Justice of High Court of Karnataka, where he assumed his office on August 8, 2010.
