From the Bar to the Advocate General’s Office and the High Court Bench, Justice Agrawal’s three-decade legal journey culminates with his appointment as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court
Jaipur/ Jodhpur: Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal has taken charge as the 44th Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. He was sworn in at Raj Bhavan, Jaipur, with Governor Haribhau Bagde administering the oath on Monday.
His appointment followed the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant.
Justice Agrawal has spent more than three decades in the legal profession. Before becoming a judge, he practised law for several years and also served as Deputy Advocate General and Advocate General of Chhattisgarh.
From Ratanpur to the High Court
Born in 1965 in Ratanpur, Bilaspur, Justice Agrawal studied at Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur, where he completed his B.Sc. and LL.B. He later earned an LL.M. from Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur.
He started practising law in 1989, initially appearing before the District and Sessions Court at Bilaspur. He later practised before the Madhya Pradesh High Court and the Chhattisgarh High Court.
His practice was mainly in civil and constitutional matters.
Represented Government Bodies and Major Institutions
During his time at the Bar, Justice Agrawal appeared for several government bodies and major institutions. These included the Chhattisgarh High Court, Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission, Bar Council of India, BCCI, BPCL, IOCL and SAIL.
He also represented banks, public-sector organisations and other government authorities in different legal matters.
From Deputy Advocate General to Advocate General
Justice Agrawal served as Deputy Advocate General of Chhattisgarh from 2002 to 2004.
After several years at the Bar, he was appointed Advocate General of Chhattisgarh in 2012. He continued in the office until his elevation to the Chhattisgarh High Court in 2013.
Elevation to the Chhattisgarh High Court
Justice Agrawal was elevated to the Chhattisgarh High Court in 2013 as an Additional Judge and became a Permanent Judge in 2016.
He spent more than a decade on the Bench, hearing cases in different areas of law.
Just before moving to Rajasthan, he also briefly performed the duties of Acting Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court after the retirement of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha. He was entrusted with the responsibility under Article 223 of the Constitution.
Currently at the Helm of Rajasthan High Court
With his appointment as the 44th Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, Justice Agrawal now assumes responsibility for both the judicial and administrative functioning of one of the country’s largest High Courts.
He will also be the Patron-in-Chief of the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority, which works to provide legal aid and make justice more accessible to those who need it.
Justice Agrawal’s journey to the Rajasthan High Court has thus travelled more than three decades, from his early years as a lawyer at the Bilaspur Bar, to serving as Deputy Advocate General and Advocate General, followed by more than a decade on the High Court Bench and a stint as Acting Chief Justice.
His appointment as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court marks the culmination of a long judicial and legal career, while opening a new chapter in his association with the Rajasthan judiciary.
Justice Agrawal now begins his tenure in Rajasthan after a career that has taken him from the Bilaspur Bar to the office of Advocate General, the High Court Bench and, eventually, the Chief Justice’s office.