Senior Judge of the Orissa High Court, Justice Bibhu Prasad Routray, has been appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of the court.
The President of India has entrusted him with this key responsibility under Article 223 of the Constitution of India.
The Department of Justice in the Union Ministry of Law and Justice issued an official notification on Friday formalising the appointment. Justice Routray will assume charge as Acting Chief Justice from November 16, a day after the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice Harish Tandon on November 15.
Justice Routray, the senior-most judge of the Orissa High Court, brings extensive experience from both the district judiciary and the state administration. He entered the Odisha Superior Judicial Service (OSJS) and initially served as an Additional District Judge before being promoted as District Judge at various stations across the state. He later served as Special Secretary (Principal Secretary) in the State Law Department.
Notably, during his tenure in the Law Department, the Nabakalebara (ritual renewal of the deities) of Lord Jagannath — the presiding deity of Odisha — took place. As Special Secretary, Justice Routray played a direct role in the administrative coordination and management of this major religious and cultural event.
He was elevated as a Judge of the Orissa High Court on November 8, 2019. Born in Cuttack, he completed his schooling at Ravenshaw Collegiate School, graduated from Utkal University, and obtained his LLB degree in 1994. After practising law for nearly a decade, he joined the Higher Judicial Service directly from the Bar in 2008.
His appointment ensures continuity in the leadership of the Orissa High Court at a time when the court faces a significant shortage of judges. Following the retirement of Chief Justice Tandon, the High Court will have 13 judges against a sanctioned strength of 33.
The notification marks a smooth transition at the helm of Odisha’s apex judicial institution.
