The Aryavarth Express
Chennai (Tamil Nadu): R. N. Ravi, Governor of Tamil Nadu, administered the oath of office to Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari as the new Chief Justice of the Madras High Court on Friday at Raj Bhavan in Chennai.
The appointment was announced a day earlier by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal. In a post on social media, Meghwal said that the Government of India had issued the appointment after the President of India approved the recommendation, made in consultation with the Supreme Court Collegium and the Supreme Court of India.
Justice Dharmadhikari previously served as a judge of the Kerala High Court. His appointment follows the retirement of the outgoing Chief Justice, Manindra Mohan Shrivastava.
The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended Justice Dharmadhikari’s name for the post during its meeting on February 26, anticipating the vacancy after Justice Shrivastava’s retirement.
Born on July 8, 1966, in Raipur, Justice Dharmadhikari began his legal career in 1992 and practiced for more than two decades before the Madhya Pradesh High Court. During his time at the Bar, he handled a wide range of civil, criminal, and constitutional matters.
Between 2000 and 2015, he served as Standing Counsel for the Union of India, representing several government departments and public sector institutions. He also appeared for organizations such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Income Tax Department, and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs as Senior Standing Counsel.
Justice Dharmadhikari was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on April 7, 2016, and was confirmed as a Permanent Judge on March 17, 2018. He was later transferred to the Kerala High Court, where he assumed office on April 23, 2025.
Following the President’s approval of the collegium’s recommendation and issuance of the warrant of appointment, Justice Dharmadhikari has now formally assumed charge as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court after taking the oath of office.
