New CJ of Kerala HC sworn in

Thiruvananthapuram, May 18 (UNI) Justice H L Dutta was today sworn in as the new Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court.

Governor R L Bhatia administered the oath of office to him at the Raj Bhavan here.

Justice Dutta succeeds Justice V K Bali. The new incumbent was earlier the Chief Justice of Chattisgarh and had also served at Karnataka High Court for several years.

Earlier, the Supreme Court Collegium had recommended Allahabad High Court Judge Jagdish Bhalla to the post of Chief Justice of Kerala High Court.

The appointment of Mr Justice Bhalla as the Chief Justice had run into rough weather with the President returning his file to the government seeking certain clarifications.

The President had returned the file after the media reported that Mr Justice Bhalla's wife had bought a plot in Noida at a much lower price allegedly from land mafia.

UNI