SHIMLA: Shri Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan has been appointed as the acting Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court from April 20.4.2023 after Smt Justice Sabina reached superannuation.
The notice to this effect was issued today by the Ministry of Justice.
In exercise of the power conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President of India is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, the senior-most puisne Judge of Himachal Pradesh High Court, to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice of that High Court with effect from 20.04.2023.
This is consequent upon the retirement of Smt. Justice Sabina, Acting Chief Justice, Himachal Pradesh High Court.
Earlier Shri Justice Sanjay Karol was appointed as the acting CJ of High Court before he was appointed as CJ of Tripura High court and later elevated as judge in the Supreme Court of India.
Earlier, Shri Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan was appointed as the new Executive Chairperson of the Himachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority(HPSLSA).
Earlier, Acting Chief Justice of the State High Court Smt Sabina was the Chairperson of the Authority.
Born on January 9, 1964, in Farog village of Rohru, Justice Chauhan received his early education from Bishop Cotton School in Shimla.
He graduated with Honours from DAV College Chandigarh, got a law degree from Punjab University Chandigarh and became an advocate in the year 1989 and joined Lala Chhabil Das chamber of senior advocates.
He conducted cases of various departments including Boards, Corporations, Financial Institutions, Public and Private Companies, Educational Institutions and Cooperative Societies etc.
He had been actively associated with the Legal Aid Programmes. He remained member of various Lok Adalats.
He was appointed Amicus-Curiae by the High Court in many important cases relating to violation of Environmental Laws by the Hydel Projects, Ropeways etc. ban on plastic and tobacco products, implementation of Solid Waste Management Projects and framing of road construction policy in Himachal Pradesh.
He was elevated as Additional Judge of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh and assumed the Office as such on 23.2.2014 (F.N). He took oath as Judge of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh on 30th November 2014 (Forenoon).
While starting legal practice in the state high court, he mastered all areas of law before he became the judge of Himachal Pradesh High Court.
Official Biodata:
As a Lawyer, had been actively associated with the Legal Aid Programmes. Remained member of various Lok Adalats.
He Was appointed Amicus-Curiae by the High Court in many important cases relating to violation of Environmental Laws by the Hydel Projects, Ropeways etc., ban on plastic and tobacco products, implementation of Solid Waste Management Projects and framing of road construction policy in Himachal Pradesh.
Elevated as Additional Judge of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh and assumed the Office as such on 23.2.2014 (F.N.) Took oath as Judge of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh on 30th November 2014 (Forenoon).
He is Chairperson of the Juvenile Justice Committee, High Court of Himachal Pradesh w.e.f. 5.5.2014 and during this period, his Lordship has done tremendous work with keen interest for the welfare and interest of the children of Bal/Balika Ashrams, Himachal, Hospital For Mental Health and Rehab Shimla and old age homes of Himachal Pradesh.
Participated in various National and International Conferences including the recent International Judicial Conference on the theme – “Judiciary and the Changing World” held w.e.f. 21.2.2020 to 23.2.2020 in the Supreme Court of India, New Delhi.
He was one of the Members out of three High Courts Judges, who participated in the International Learning Exchange Programme with focus on the “reform of Care and Protection services for children” held in Romania with effect from 13th to 17th May, 2019.
He is the first Judge of this High Court to have participated in any such International Conference held abroad. His Lordship attended the “National Annual Stakeholders Consultation on Child Protection” held on 10th and 11th December, 2022 in the Supreme Court of India, New Delhi. Remained as Member of the Governing Council as well as Executive Council of the Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla w.e.f. 12.11.2016.
Held the post of President of the H.P. Judicial Academy w.e.f. 18.11.2018 to 15.3.2020 and w.e.f. 1.3.2021 to 5.4.2023. Heading the Computer and e-Courts Committee of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh, the computerization in the High Court as well as Subordinate Courts has scaled new heights as now the Advocates/litigants apart from getting information about their cases can also access various other services i.e. applying online for certified copy, pay court fees online, access cause-list, e-file a case (ITR), apply only for e-Gate Pass etc.
Further, under his guidance, peripheries have been developed for the day to day working of the High Court as well as Subordinate Courts.
To name a few, Typing Test Software has been developed for conducting type test, D-space Repository Software has been developed to store scanned decided files, Display Boards for the current status of the cases taken up in the Courts, SMS and email facility for the Judicial Officers as well as advocates, implementation of e-Office Software in the Establishment Branch of the Registry, Vigilance Software for generation of reports qua institution, disposal and pendency of various categories of cases, Software for tracking the matters pending with other departments/Government etc.
He has delivered a number of landmark judgments and till date 63,555 number of cases have been disposed of by his Lordship.
Amongst number of landmark judgments: few are:
Suo motu cognizance was taken on a tragedy in which 24 students from Engineering Institute Hyderabad had been washed away in the Beas River on 8.6.2014.
In Mathu Ram vs M.C. Shimla, his Lordship held that a time gap in issuance of the policy on regularization which prescribed different cut-off dates cannot be a ground to deny the benefit of regularization on completion of service on daily wage basis.
In a landmark judgment, he issued comprehensive guidelines to the State Government and the Principal Secretary (Education) was directed to issue mandatory orders to all the educational institutions, whether private or government owned to display detailed information on the notice board which were directed to be placed at the entrance of the campus and on their websites with respect to : Faculty and staff alongwith their qualifications and job experience (profile), details of infrastructure, affiliation alongwith certificates(s) of affiliation, details of internship and placement, fees with complete breakup and details, extracurricular activities with complete details, PTA with address and telephone numbers of its members, transport facilities with details, age of the institute and its achievements, if any, availability of scholarships with complete details, list of alumni(s) alongwith complete addresses and telephone numbers and the State was further directed to ensure that no private educational institution is allowed to charge fee towards building fund, infrastructure fund, development fund etc.
In another landmark judgment, Justice Chauhan directed the State Police to upload all the FIRs on its portal and for registration of FIR online.
