Justice Nilay Vipinchandra Anjaria, 58, took oath as 34th Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka on February 25. Governor Thaarwar Chand Gehlot administered oath to him at Raj Bhavan.
Born on March 23, 1965 at Ahmedabad in Gujarat, Justice Anjaria was serving as the senior most judge of the High Court of Gujarat until his elevation as Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka.
A native of Mandvi in Kachchh district, he hails from a family of lawyers and his father too had served in the judiciary. He started his practice as a lawyer in 1988 and later secured post-graduate degree in law in 1989 from University Law College, Ahmedabad. Apart from conducting cases involving constitutional and all categories of civil cases, he has served as standing counsel for the High Court of Gujarat, State Election Commission, Information Commission, Industrial Development Corporation, municipalities in Gujarat.
He was awarded research fellowship in 1992 by Late Navinchandra Desai Foundation, Ahmedabad on ‘Freedom of Speech and Expression – With Reference to Media’, and also served as honorary Associate Editor of Gujarat Law Herald. He has authored several articles on constitutional and legal subjects, published in books and law journals. He was elevated as an additional judge, High Court of Gujarat on November 21, 2011 and confirmed as a permanent judge on September 9, 2013.
Justice Anjaria is the third Chief Justice that the High Court of Karnataka has witnessed in the short duration of 32 days. Earlier Chief Justice, Prasanna B. Varale, was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on January 24, 2024 and Justice P.S. Dinesh Kumar took oath as Chief Justice on February 3. Justice Dinesh Kumar retired on February 24 after serving for a short duration of 22 days as Chief Justice.
