The Central Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) has re-nominated Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) of Jharkhand High Court & Executive Chairman, JHALSA, Justice DN Patel, as the ex-officio member of the Central Authority, National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), New Delhi, for a second consecutive term of two years.
A notification to the effect was issued by the Ministry of Law & Justice, Department of Legal Affairs, on April 5 last.
NALSA has been constituted under the Legal Servuices Act, 1987 to provide free legal services to the weaker sections of the society.
He had been first nominated as a Member of Central Authority, NALSA, by the Centre February 4, 2016. He also happens to be a Member of General Body of National Judicial Academy, Bhopal (M.P) since December 31, 2015.
Justice Patel, known for his missionary zeal in taking free legal services at the door step to the people on the margin, particularly Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Scheduled Castes (SCs) in Jharkhand, had been elevated as an Additional Judge of the High Court of Gujarat on March 7, 2004 and took oath as permanent Judge of High Court of Gujarat on January 25, 2006.
After his transfer to Jharkhand he took oath as Judge of the High Court of Jharkhand, Ranchi on February 03, 2009. He was appointed as Executive Chairman of Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority in August, 2012.
Earlier, Justice Patel was also appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Jharkhand from August 4, 2013 to November 15, 2013. He was again appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Jharkhand from August 13, 2014 to October 31, 2014.