Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty appointed as Acting CJ of Calcutta HC
New Delhi, June 19
The Centre on Friday issued a notification appointing Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty as the Acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court following the retirement of incumbent Chief Justice Sujoy Paul.
"In exercise of the power conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty, Judge of the Calcutta High Court, to perform the duties of office of the Chief Justice of that High Court consequent upon retirement of Shri Justice Sujoy Paul on 20.06.2026," said a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.
Article 223 of the Constitution empowers the President to appoint a judge of a High Court to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice when the post falls vacant or when the Chief Justice is unable to discharge the functions of the office.
Justice Chakraborty was born on November 27, 1966, into a family of lawyers. He was enrolled as an advocate on January 29, 1991, and practised before the Calcutta High Court for over two decades. He primarily handled civil and constitutional matters relating to service and education laws and specialised in constitutional law.
Justice Chakraborty was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Calcutta High Court on October 30, 2013, and was appointed a permanent judge on March 14, 2016. The notification comes a day before incumbent Chief Justice Paul demits office upon attaining the age of superannuation.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Article 223 appointments are usually routine, but let's hope Justice Chakraborty uses his expertise in service and education laws to bring some much-needed reforms in the Calcutta HC's backlog. The judiciary moves too slowly for common citizens. Hope he proves me wrong.
Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty was elevated as Additional Judge in 2013, made permanent in 2016—so he's had a solid decade-plus on the bench. His experience in constitutional law will be crucial given the number of high-stakes cases coming before the Calcutta HC. A deserving appointment.
Interesting that the notification came just a day before the retirement. Seems like a smooth transition. Justice Chakraborty's specialization in education laws could be particularly relevant given the ongoing debates about university autonomy and student rights in West Bengal.
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