Full Court Address to bid adieu to Chief Justice Rajiv Shakdher

A Full Court Address was held on the premises of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh to bid farewell to Chief Justice Rajiv Shakdher on his superannuation today. He had assumed the charge of the office of Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on September 25 this year.

Chief Justice Rajiv Shakdher said, “Judges have no agenda. Their duties, obligations and powers are delineated by the Constitution and some bit of common sense. The Judges have no ideology and their natural instinct is to give a leg-up to the dis-empowered, the weak and the infirm, the aged and the young albeit, within the four corners of the law. The Constitution provides us with the necessary wherewithal and also firewalls us against a possible blowback. The uniqueness of the job is that it allows us to choose our own path and beckons us to work within the framework of the Constitution”.

Chief Justice Shakdher thanked all his companion Judges, staff members and personal staff for their love, affection and cooperation. He thanked his family for its unwavering support throughout his career.

Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan said that Chief Justice Shakhdher had a very short tenure yet a fruitful and productive one. “He does not require any introduction of his acumen, skill and dexterity in handling even the most complicated legal issues,” he added.

Justice Chauhan said that after assuming the charge of the State Head of the Judiciary, Chief Justice Shakhdher had immediately convened a meeting of all District Judges with a view to resolving the problems and difficulties being faced by them and had effectively resolved the same.

Chief Justice Shakhdher also showed keen interest in designating Senior Advocates and just two days ago, he successfully did the same. Himachal Pradesh National Law University was without a Vice-Chancellor since February, 2024, and Chief Justice Shakdher immediately took an initiative and now a Vice-Chancellor had been appointed there.

Justice Chauhan, on behalf of High Court of Himachal Pradesh and the entire legal fraternity, extended their best wishes to Chief Justice Shakdher for a very happy, healthy, prosperous and blissful life.

Judges of the High Court of Himachal Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, Justice Vivek Singh Thakur, Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, Justice Sandeep Sharma, Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua, Justice Satyen Vaidya, Justice Sushil Kukreja, Justice Virender Singh, Justice Ranjan Sharma, Justice Bipin Chander Negi and Justice Rakesh Kainthla were present on the occasion. Registrar General Bhupesh Sharma conducted the proceedings.