Justice Pankaj Mithal takes oath as new CJ of Raj HC

Jaipur: Justice Pankaj Mithal became the 40th chief justice of Rajasthan High Court on Friday when governor Kalraj Mishra administered the oath to office at Raj Bhawan here.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot, Speaker CP Joshi, leader of the Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria, members of the cabinet, public representatives, judges of the high court, officers, advocates and family members of Justice Mithal were present at the swearing-in ceremony.
He was the former chief justice of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh high courts. The CJ post fell vacant following the retirement of Sambhaji Shivaji Shinde on August 1. Justice M M Srivastava was the acting chief justice.
Justice Mithal was born in Meerut on June 17, 1961 in a family of lawyers. He received his early education at St. Mary’s Academy and did B.Com (Honours) from the University of Allahabad and graduated in 1982. He joined Meerut College for his legal studies and obtained his law degree from CCS University of Meerut. He was enrolled in the Bar Council of UP in 1985 and started practicing at the HC as an advocate. He became additional judge at Allahabad High Court on July 7, 2006 and became permanent on July 2, 2008.