Raipur: The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the name of Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra, a judge of the Orissa High Court, as the next Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court. This decision was taken during a meeting of the Supreme Court Collegium held on August 6, 2026. The recommendation pertains to the appointment to be made following the retirement of the current Chief Justice, Ramesh Sinha, on September 4, 2026. According to the statement issued by the Supreme Court Collegium, the body has recommended Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra for the position of Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court. Therefore, at this stage, it is viewed as a recommendation by the Collegium rather than a formal appointment; the prescribed constitutional procedure for the appointment will be completed subsequently.
May assume responsibility after September 4
Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra may assume the responsibility of Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court after the current Chief Justice retires on September 4, 2026.
Who is Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra?
Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra was born on April 18, 1965. He holds BA and LLB degrees. He is the son of the late Justice Sarat Chandra Mohapatra. Justice Mohapatra enrolled as an advocate with the Odisha State Bar Council on February 7, 1988. He practiced law for approximately 26 years, handling cases across various legal domains, including civil, service, criminal, and constitutional law.
During his legal practice, he served as an Additional Standing Counsel for the Government of Odisha and the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC). Additionally, he represented various organizations, including Central Cooperative Banks, the National Institute of Open Schooling, Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited, and the Bank of Baroda.
Appointed High Court Judge in 2015
Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra was elevated as a judge of the Orissa High Court on April 17, 2015. Since then, he has been discharging judicial duties at the Orissa High Court. Now, the Supreme Court Collegium has recommended his appointment as the Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court. Transfer of Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal to Rajasthan
Additionally, the Collegium has recommended the transfer of Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal of the Chhattisgarh High Court. In a meeting held on August 31, 2026, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended transferring Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal from the Chhattisgarh High Court to the Rajasthan High Court.
