Justice Balia new Chief Justice of Patna High Court

Patna, Jan 5 (UNI) Justice Rajesh Balia was administered the oath as Patna High Court's Chief Justice by Bihar Governor R S Gavai at Rajbhawan here today.

Prior to this, Justice Balia was the Judge of Rajasthan High Court and was appointed Chief Justice of Patna High Court by President Pratibha Patil on December 31, 2007.

He is the senior-most judge in all 21 High Courts of the country and is scheduled to retire on March 3 this year.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his cabinet colleagues, state advocate general and other senior officials of the state government were among those present on the occasion.

Born on March 3, 1946 at Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Justice Balia did his Law (LLB) from Jodhpur University in 1966. He was enrolled as an advocate of Rajasthan High Court on April 9, 1967 and started practice in civil taxation, constitutional and commercial law.

He also taught income tax and Hindu law as a part-time lecturer in Jodhpur University from 1975 to 1981.

Justice Balia also served as deputy government advocate of Rajasthan from 1978 to 1982 and was appointed as the standing counsel of Commercial Taxation department in July 1986.

He was elevated as Judge of Rajasthan High Court on October 21, 1991. Justice Balia is the 32nd Chief Justice of the Patna High Court.

UNI XC-KKS PP PB RAI1537