Justice M. S. Sonak Appointed Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court

New Delhi, Jan 2026 : The Central government on Friday notified the appointment of Justice M. S. Sonak, currently serving as a judge of the Bombay High Court, as the new Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court. He will take charge after the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice, Tarlok Singh Chauhan, who is set to demit office on January 8 upon attaining the age of superannuation.

Justice Sonak’s elevation follows the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium, which cleared his name on December 18, 2025. The Collegium’s proposal was part of a wider exercise aimed at ensuring continuity and administrative stability across several High Courts in the country.

Born on November 28, 1964, Justice Sonak hails from Goa and completed his early education at Don Bosco High School in Panaji. He pursued his undergraduate studies at Dhempe College of Arts and Science, earning a Bachelor of Science degree, before going on to obtain his law degree from M. S. College of Law, Panaji. The institution is affiliated with Bombay University, and Justice Sonak graduated with First Class honours, reflecting his strong academic foundation.

He enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa in October 1988 and began practising at the Panaji Bench of the Bombay High Court. Over the years, Justice Sonak developed wide-ranging expertise across multiple branches of law. His practice encompassed civil and constitutional matters, labour and service law, environmental law, commercial and taxation issues, company law, and public interest litigation. His diverse legal exposure contributed significantly to his reputation as a well-rounded jurist.

In addition to private practice, Justice Sonak also served in key advisory and representative roles. He worked as Additional Standing Counsel for the Central government and as Special Counsel for the Goa state government. He also represented several statutory bodies and corporations, gaining valuable experience in matters involving public administration and governance.

Justice Sonak was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on June 21, 2013, and was later confirmed as a permanent judge. During his tenure, he has been part of several important benches and has delivered judgments across a wide spectrum of legal issues.

His appointment is part of a broader reshuffle of Chief Justices of various High Courts that has been cleared by the Centre based on recommendations of the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. Earlier this week, the Centre also notified appointments and transfers involving the High Courts of Kerala, Patna and Meghalaya.

Meanwhile, the Collegium’s recommendation to appoint Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta of the Allahabad High Court as Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court is still awaiting formal approval from the Central government.

Team Maverick.