New chief justice of Bombay HC sworn in

Justice Dipankar Dutta  drove nearly 2,000 kms from Kolkata to Mumbai - to take charge of the Bombay High Court. Justice Dutta had to drive down to Mumbai as because of the COVID-19 India lockdown, there are no domestic commercial flights.

On Tuesday evening, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered oath to Justice Dutta at a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan with full protocol and physical distancing.
Justice Datta succeeds Justice Bhushan Pradyumna Dharmadhikari whose term as Chief Justice ended on Monday.

The Supreme Court collegium on April 19 cleared his name and the notification was issued on April 23. Justice Dutta and his son drove via Bhubaneswar, Vishakapatnam, Vijaywada, Solapur and then Mumbai.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Devendra Fadnavis, Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Nana Patole, Minister of Protocol and Tourism Aaditya Thackeray, family members of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta, judges of the Bombay High Court, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Kumar, Advocate General Ashotosh Kumbhakoni, Director General of Police Subodh Jaiswal and Commissioner of Mumbai Police Parambir Singh were prominent among those present.

Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta read out the Notification of Appointment of the Chief Justice issued by the President of India. The ceremony began and concluded with the playing of the national anthem by the police band.

Born on February 9, 1965, Justice Dipankar Datta   enrolled as an Advocate on November 16, 1989 and practiced in the Calcutta High Court, Gauhati High Court, Jharkhand High Court and also occasionally in Supreme Court of India for about 16 years in Civil, Constitutional, Labour, Service, Education and Transport and has specialised in Constitutional, Labour and Service matters. He worked as Junior Standing Counsel, State of West Bengal from 16th May, 2002 to 16 January, 2004. 

He was a Central Government Counsel and held the office of Lawyer-in-charge of the University of West Bengal and the West Bengal School Service Commission. He was appointed as a permanent Judge of the Calcutta High Court on 22 June,  2006.