New Delhi, The Centre on Thursday cleared the appointment of Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, following the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium.
“In exercise of the power conferred by the Constitution of India, the President of India, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari, Judge of the High Court of Kerala, to be the Chief Justice of the High Court of Madras with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office,” Union Minister of State (I/C) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said in a post on X.
The apex court Collegium, headed by CJI Surya Kant, in its meeting held on February 26, had recommended the appointment of Justice Dharmadhikari, whose parent High Court is Madhya Pradesh and who is currently serving as a judge of the Kerala High Court, as Chief Justice of the Madras High Court following the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava on March 5.
Born on July 9, 1966, at Raipur, Justice Dharmadhikari was appointed as an additional judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in April 2016 and took oath as a permanent judge on March 17, 2018.
Before his elevation to the bench, he practised in civil, criminal, and constitutional branches of law as an advocate for 24 years in the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
Justice Dharmadhikari was transferred to the Kerala High Court from the Madhya Pradesh High Court last year.
In April 2025, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification stating that the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI), had approved his transfer under Article 222 of the Constitution.
“The Supreme Court Collegium in its meetings held on 20th March 2025, 24th March 2025 and 03rd April 2025, has recommended transfer of Mr Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari, Judge, High Court of Madhya Pradesh, to the High Court of Kerala,” a statement uploaded on the website of the apex court had said.
