E-Paper
End of the road for Justice Girish Agnihotri as his name removed from list of Punjab and Haryana HC judges
Justice Girish Agnihotri’s tenure as an additional judge of Punjab and Haryana high court came to an end on October 25. His name does not figure in the fresh roster of judges released on Tuesday evening for the coming days.
The Punjab and Haryana high court administration on Tuesday removed the name of justice Girish Agnihotri from the list of judges of the high court. His name also does not figure in the fresh roster released on Tuesday evening for the coming days.
Justice Agnihotri’s tenure as an additional judge came to an end on October 25, but the notification on either the extension of his tenure as an additional judge or appointment as a permanent judge has not come, it is learnt. The high court administration has not come out with any official statement so far.
“He ought to have been administered oath along with those who were appointed as a permanent judge on Monday. Now even those appointed after him have administered the oath of office,” a senior functionary said, hinting at the end of his tenure as a judge. Many said the move was unprecedented as in recent history no such name could be cited by even veteran lawyers, who was not made permanent after appointment as an additional judge.
The son of a former high court judge, MR Agnihotri (retired), justice Girish Agnihotri took oath as an additional judge on October 26, 2019. His name did not find favour with either the apex court or the Central government even on an earlier occasion in 2013. However, he was recommended again in January 2019 and appointed as an additional judge in October 2019. Designated as a senior advocate in 2007, prior to his elevation, he mainly dealt with service and constitutional matters.
