President of India, Ramnath Kovind on Tuesday appointed Justice Rajesh Bindal as the acting Chief Justice of High Court of Jammu and Kashmir & Ladakh.
“In exercise of the power conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Rajesh Bindal, senior-most Judge of Common High Court for the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh, to perform the duties of the office of Chief Justice of that High Court with effect from 09th December, 2020 consequent upon the retirement of Kumari Justice Gita Mittal, Chief Justice, Common High Court for the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh,” reads a notification by Government of India, Ministry of Law and Justice.
Born on 16 April, 1961 at Ambala City in Haryana, Justice Rajesh Bindal did his LL.B. from Kurukshetra University in 1985. He joined profession in High Court of Punjab & Haryana in September 1985.
Justice Bindal represented Chandigarh administration before the Central Administrative Tribunal for more over a decade till 2004. He represented Employees’ Provident Fund Organization, Punjab & Haryana regions, before the High Court and CAT from 1992 till his elevation. He also represented Income-tax Department, Haryana region before the High Court.
Justice Bindal was elevated as a Judge of High Court of Punjab & Haryana on March 22, 2006.
Being Chairman of a multi-member Committee constituted by Ministry of Women and Child Development to study Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction Bill, 2016, he submitted report accompanied by the recommendations and draft of the Protection of Children (Inter-Country Removal and Retention) Bill, 2018 to the Ministry.
During his tenure in Punjab and Haryana High Court, he disposed of around 80,000 cases. On transfer to High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, he took oath of office on 19 November, 2018. Presently, he is Chairman of the Finance Committee, Building and Infrastructure Committee, Information Technology Committee, State Court Management Systems Committee, in the High Court and also Chairman of J&K State Legal Service Authority.
He is also the Chairman of the Committee constituted for conducting assessment for optimal use of technology by NALSA and the State Legal Services Authorities including use of Artificial Intelligence.