Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir on Wednesday assumed charge as Acting Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court after being administered oath of office by Governor Urmila Singh.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his Cabinet colleagues were also present on the occasion. Officiating chief secretary Partho Mitra conducted the proceeding and read out the notification of appointment. Justice Mir hails from Rajpura village in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. Born on April 25, 1955, Justice Mir did his llB in 1978 and joined Bar in the same year and practiced till 1993. He appeared in higher judicial services examination in the year 1992 and secured first position in the state.
He was appointed as principal district and session judge, Kupwara in 1993. He also remained principal district and session judge of Anantnag, Budgam and Srinagar. He was also posted as presiding officer, motor accident claims tribunal, Srinagar and the designated court of TADA/ Special Judge, POTA for Kashmir division.
The new Acting Chief Justice was sworn-in as additional Judge of the High Court in 2005 and elevated as permanent judge of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir in July 2007. He was transferred to the High Court of Himachal Pradesh on November 19, this year. Office of chief justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court had fallen vacant after former chief justice AM Khanwilkar was transferred to Madhya Pradesh High Court. Members of judicial fraternity including High Court judges, bureaucrats, politicians and ministers were all present on the occasion of oath ceremony.