Justice BR Sarangi was named Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court by the Central Government on Wednesday. However, his appointment will only last for just longer than two weeks, as he is expected to retire on July 20.
The Supreme Court Collegium recommended Justice Sarangi’s appointment in December of last year.
Given that the Chief Justice of a high court must concentrate on both the judicial and administrative sides of their duties, the nomination calls into question the elevation of judges for such brief terms. Long-term institutional reforms are hampered by short-term tenure.
As of right now, Justice Sarangi is the Orissa High Court’s most senior judge. On June 20, 2013, he was promoted to the bench and sworn in as an Orissa High Court permanent judge.
Beginning his legal career in December 1985, Justice Sarangi worked at the Orissa High Court. He handled a variety of cases, including those involving the law, constitutional law, criminal law, revenue law, labor law, mining, banking, education, energy, and insurance.
The Orissa High Court website states that Justice Sarangi has handed down approximately 1,500 reported judgments and resolved over 1,52,000 cases in his time in office.
Justice BR Sarangi’s notable judgments:
- MGNREGA Case: Justice BR Sarangi ruled that the non-release of payments to job card holders under MGNREGA violates their right to livelihood and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. He emphasized the State’s obligation to provide timely wages, citing Supreme Court precedent on the matter.
- NDPS Act Bail Application: In a bail application under Section 439 of the CrPC, Justice Sarangi held that Section 36-A(4) of the NDPS Act should imply notice to the accused before extending detention beyond 180 days. This ensures fairness and allows the accused to contest such extensions.
- RTE Act and School Merger: Justice Sarangi opined that notifications for the merger of schools based solely on roll strength are impermissible under the Odisha RTE Rules, 2010. This decision restrains the state from merging schools without considering other relevant factors.
