The Central government on Monday cleared the appointment of Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. Union Minister of State for Law (independent charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal tweeted about the appointment on his official X handle.

Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, an esteemed jurist with a distinguished career in law, has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. Born on November 1, 1965, Justice Sandhawalia completed his B.A. (Hons.) from DAV College, Chandigarh, in 1986, and L.L.B. from Panjab University, Chandigarh, in 1989. He was enrolled as an Advocate with the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana in August 1989.

Justice Sandhawalia has represented various prestigious institutions, including the Chandigarh Administration, Panjab University, Punjab State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation (MARKFED), Punjab State Electricity Board, Food Corporation of India, and more. His expertise spans Criminal, Civil, Service, Land Acquisition, and Constitutional law.

Justice Sandhawalia hails from a legal family. His father served as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court (1978-1983) and the Patna High Court (1983-1987). As a sportsman, Justice Sandhawalia represented his college and university in Lawn Tennis.

Elevated to the Bench as an Additional Judge on September 30, 2011, he became a Permanent Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 24, 2014. During his tenure, he has held numerous key positions, including Chairman of Mediation and Conciliation Committee, Recruitment and Promotion Committees, and Executive Chairman of the Punjab State Legal Services Authority.

Justice Sandhawalia assumed the role of Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on February 4, 2024, before being selected as the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court. His appointment is expected to bring profound legal acumen and leadership to the judiciary in Himachal Pradesh.