Justice R Banumathi from Madras High Court was on Saturday sworn-in as the new Chief Justice (CJ) of Jharkhand High Court at a function held at Raj Bhawan. She was administered oath of office by Governor Syed Ahmed.
The Jharkhand HC was functioning under Justice DN Patel who presided over hearings as acting CJ since the retirement of former CJ Prakash Chandra Tatia. Notably, she has taken charge as the second lady Chief Justice after Justice Gyan Sudha Misra. Justice Banumathi, who has played vital roles in many judicial activities, entered higher judicial services in April 2003.
Born on July 20, 1955, Banumathi held several important positions during her illustrious career. Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Speaker Shashank Shekhar Bhokta, besides the judges, including Justice DN Patel and lawyers and of the high court were present on the occasion. She had entered Higher Judicial Service of Tamilnadu in 1988 directly as a District Judge where she dealt with several landmark cases. She also led one-man commission on police excess by STF in Chinnampathy village, Coimbatore district in 1995-1996. She was also involved actively in lok Adalat and legal literacy Programme and organised a number of legal literacy camps and lok Adalats in Pudukottai, Tirunelveli, Salem and Madras.
In her career with judiciary Banumathi had been appointed as District and Sessions Judge in Coimbatore, Vellore and Principal, District and Sessions Judge in Pudukottai, Madras, Tirunelveli and Salem as well. She also worked as the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Madras. Justice Banumathi played important role in organising several training programmes in Judicial Academy and throughout the State of Tamil Nadu responding to the need for continuing judicial education for strengthening judicial system from 2008 to 2010. Banumathi has been credited a book on "Effective District Administration and Court Management", 'Court Staff - Registers and legal Procedure' and 'Important legal Provisions at a glance'.
Banumathi also contributed as the chairperson of Madras High Court legal Services Committee from February 21, 2011 to January 20, 2012 and organized seven mega lok adalats before the principal bench and Madurai bench of Madras HC and settled as many as 1,083 cases.