Uttarakhand High Court

History

The Uttarakhand High Court is a relatively new addition to India's judiciary system. The building of Uttarakhand High Court was constructed by Santoni MacDonald in 1900.

Uttarakhand was carved out from the state of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000 under the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000. The High Court of Uttarakhand was also established on the same day.

The Uttarakhand High Court is located in Nainital, a scenic hill station in the Kumaon region of the state.

The High Court initially consisted of just five court rooms but later more court rooms were added. A huge Chief Justice Court Block and a Block of Lawyers’ chambers were built in 2007.

Landmark judgements

Vinod Prasad Raturi v. Union of India

In 2019, Vinod Prasad Raturi challenged administrative decisions regarding his seniority and postings in Uttarakhand following the formation of the state. The matter was initially heard in the Uttarakhand High Court, which emphasized procedural fairness and ruled that affected officers must be given an opportunity to be heard before any departmental action was taken. Following the High Court's decision, Vinod Prasad Raturi filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court of India to seek review of certain administrative orders affecting his career. On 5 March 2021, the Supreme Court allowed aspects of his petition, directing that the High Court should ensure all affected parties are heard and procedural requirements are fully observed. The judgment effectively ruled in favor of Raturi, upholding his claims regarding seniority and procedural fairness, including the allocation of his 2005 cadre. This judgment is regarded as a reference point for bureaucratic accountability and fairness in administrative promotions and postings in Uttarakhand.

Status of rivers as legal persons

In March 2017, Uttarakhand High Court's single-judge bench presided by Justice Rajeev Sharma, mandated that the rivers Ganges and Yamuna as well as all water bodies are "living entities" i.e. "legal person", and appointed 3 persons as trustees to protect the rights of rivers against the pollution caused by the humans.

Rohit Sagar v. State of Uttarakhand

Main article: Rohit Sagar v. State of Uttarakhand

Rohit Sagar v. State of Uttarakhand (2021) is a case where Uttarakhand High Court's two-judges bench presided by Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Narayan Singh Dhanik, held that the legal adults have the fundamental right to choose their own partners, and directed the Uttarakhand Police to provide necessary protection for the individuals and their property.

List of sitting judges of the Uttarakhand High Court

There are currently ten sitting judges including the Chief Justice, with post of one additional judge lying vacant. Following is the list of the current serving judges of the Uttarakhand High Court, ordered by seniority.

Registrar General

Yogesh Kumar Gupta is the current Registrar General of the Uttarakhand High Court. He assumed office on 6 June 2025.

Former Chief Justices

The Uttarakhand High Court was established on under Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000 and has had 15 Chief Justices excluding Acting Chief Justices.

Judges elevated to the Supreme Court of India

Currently serving

Former Judges

Judges elevated as Chief Justice to other high courts

Notes

References

References

1. (9 November 2000). "Uttaranchal High Court Inaugurated". [[Zee News]].
2. "About us: HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND".
3. (5 March 2021). "Vinod Prasad Raturi vs Union Of India".
4. "Supreme Court of India Judgment: Vinod Prasad Raturi".
5. [https://qz.com/india/1636326/who-apart-from-human-beings-are-legal-persons-in-india/ Birds to holy rivers: A list of everything India considers “legal persons”], [[Quartz (publication). Quartz]], September 2019.
6. {{Cite court. (16 December 2021). link
7. Jha, Prashant. "Uttarakhand High Court grants police protection to gay couple threatened by parents".
8. [http://highcourtofuttarakhand.gov.in/pages/display/223-honble-sitting-judges Sitting judges of the Uttarakhand High Court]
9. "Hon'ble Mr. Justice Prakash Chandra Verma".
10. "Hon'ble Mr Justice B.C.Kandpal {{!}} High Court of Uttarakhand {{!}} India".
11. "Hon'ble Mr. Justice Tarun Agarwala (Sr. Judge, Alld.)".
12. "Appointment of VK Bisht as Acting Chief Justice".
13. "Hon'ble Mr. Justice Rajiv Sharma, Judge {{!}} High Court of Uttarakhand {{!}} India".
14. "High Court of Jharkhand, India".