Justice MN Bhandari, Who Replaces Justice Sanjib Banerjee, Sworn In As Madras HC Acting CJ

Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari was transferred to the Madras High Court from the Allahabad High Court.

The Madras High Court building | Photo: Getty

Chennai: Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari, who was sworn in on Monday as the Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) of the Madras High Court, said that he believes in less talk and more action.

Justice Bhandari, who is replacing Justice Sanjib Banerjee, was administered the oath of office by Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, his cabinet colleagues and High Court judges were present on the occasion.

Advocate General of Tamil Nadu R. Shanmugasundaram, President of the Madras Bar Association, other heads of bar associations and advocates associations gave the new ACJ a warm welcome in the court premises.

Justice Bhandari in his acceptance speech said that he had visited Tamil Nadu five years before and was impressed by the rich culture of the land. He said that he had wished to be born in Tamil Nadu after that visit.

"My dream has come true after five years. I am now reborn to serve the state of Tamil Nadu and the legal fraternity," he said.

Justice Bhandari sought the cooperation of the lawyers and said that the bar and the bench are commonly known as the two wheels of a chariot and have to go together.

"I will not say much now. But you will see action," he assured.

Justice Bhandari was transferred to the Madras High Court from the Allahabad High Court.

He had joined the Allahabad High Court in 2019 after serving in the Rajasthan High Court since 2007 when he was appointed as a judge.

In the transfer order, the Supreme Court collegium said: "It was in the interest of better administration of justice."

The Madras High Court had witnessed protests from the lawyers against the transfer of Chief Justice Banerjee to the Meghalaya High Court.

The advocates had also petitioned the Supreme Court collegium and requested it to reconsider the transfer.