Pankaj Mithal

Pankaj Mithal
Judge of Supreme Court of India
Assumed office
6 February 2023
Nominated byDhananjaya Y. Chandrachud
Appointed byDroupadi Murmu
40th Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court
In office
14 October 2022 – 5 February 2023
Nominated byUday Umesh Lalit
Appointed byDroupadi Murmu
Preceded bySambhaji Shiwaji Shinde
Succeeded byAugustine George Masih
Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court
In office
4 January 2021 – 13 October 2022
Nominated bySharad Arvind Bobde
Appointed byRam Nath Kovind
Preceded by
Succeeded byAli Mohammad Magrey
Judge of Allahabad High Court
In office
7 July 2006 – 3 January 2021
Nominated byYogesh Kumar Sabharwal
Appointed byA. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Personal details
Born (1961-06-17) 17 June 1961 (age 64)
Alma materSt. Mary's Academy, Meerut
University of Allahabad
Meerut College

Pankaj Mithal (born 17 June 1961) is a judge of the Supreme Court of India and a former Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court.[1][2][3] Previously, he has also served as the Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court and Judge of the Allahabad High Court.[4]

Early life and education

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He was born in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, on 17 June 1961, into a family of lawyers. He received his early education at St. Mary's Academy, Meerut, which is affiliated to the Indian School Certificate (I.S.C.) Board. He joined the B.Com. (Honours) at the University of Allahabad and graduated in 1982. Later, he joined Meerut College for his legal studies and obtained his law degree from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut. He is now living in New Delhi, Delhi.[5]

Family history

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His grandfather, Babu Brij Nath Mithal, was a lawyer of western U.P. He was the Honorary Head of the law department at the Meerut College. The Boys Hostel of the law department at Meerut College was named 'B.N.M. Hostel' (Brij Nath Mithal Hostel) in his honour.

His uncle Sri Raghuvar Dayal Mithal (1910-1981) and the eldest son of Brij Nath Mithal were also stalwarts of the Meerut Bar who dominated the civil side for over four decades. He was offered Judgeship of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad twice, but he declined it for personal reasons.[6]

His father, Justice Narendra Nath Mithal (6 April 1930 – 7 April 1996) was also a leading civil lawyer of the District Court, Meerut. He served as the District Government Counsel (Civil) for several years before being elevated to the Bench at the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad in the year 1978. He was among the few persons who were directly elevated to the Bench from the District Bar. He served as a Judge of High Court of Judicature at Allahabad from 14 December 1978 to 8 April 1992.

Career

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He was enrolled in the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh in 1985 and started practising at the High Court as an advocate.

He served as the Standing Counsel for the Uttar Pradesh Awas Evam Vikas Parishad and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Agra. He was elevated to the Bench as an Additional Judge on 7 July 2006 and was later made a permanent Judge of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad on 2 July 2008.

He was the Chairman of La Martinière College, Lucknow (both boys' and girls' wings).

He was elevated as Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court on 4 January 2021. He was transferred as Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court on 14 October 2022.[7][8]

The Governor of Uttar Pradesh nominated Justice Mithal twice as a member of the Executive Council of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidhyapith, Varanasi, and presently, the Governor of U.P. has nominated him as a member of the Executive Council of Choudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut.

He was elevated as Judge of Supreme Court of India on 6 February 2023.[9][10]

References

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  1. ^ "Orders of appointment of Shri Justice Pankaj Mithal, Chief Justice, Rajasthan High Court as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India (04.02.2023)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2023.
  2. ^ Bench, Bar & (11 October 2022). "[BREAKING] Central government notifies transfer of Justice Pankaj Mithal as Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court". Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Justice Pankaj Mithal Appointed 40th Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court". Drishti IAS. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Hon'ble Mr. Justice Pankaj Mithal (Sr. Judge, Lko.)". www.allahabadhighcourt.in. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Pankaj Mithal". Supreme Court Observer. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  6. ^ Sucheta (17 June 2023). "Know Thy Judge | Supreme Court of India: Justice Pankaj Mithal". SCC Times. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  7. ^ Rohmetra, Neeraj (15 December 2020). "Justice Pankaj Mithal likely to take over as CJ J&K HC". Daily Excelsior.
  8. ^ Nisar, Naqshab. "Justice Pankaj Mithal takes oath as Chief Justice of J&K and Ladakh HC". IBTimes India. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  9. ^ "The Five New Supreme Court Judges". Supreme Court Observer. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  10. ^ NETWORK, LIVELAW NEWS (6 February 2023). "Five New Supreme Court Judges Take Oath; Working Strength Rises To 32, With 2 Vacancies". www.livelaw.in. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
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