Sarosh Homi Kapadia appointed new chief justice of India

New Delhi: Supreme Court justice Sarosh Homi Kapadia has been appointed the new chief justice of India. He assumes charge on 12 May.

Justice Kapadia takes over from Justice KG Balakrishnan, who was also India's first dalit chief justice.

A press release from the ministry of law and justice stated: "In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of article 124 of the Constitution of India, the president is pleased to appoint Justice Sarosh Homi Kapadia, judge of the Supreme Court, to be the chief justice of India with effect from May 12, 2010."

Born on 29th September 1947, justice Kapadia enrolled as an advocate on 10th September 1974 and practiced in the Bombay High Court, both on the Original and Appellate sides.

He was appointed as a permanent judge of the Bombay High Court on 23rd March 1993. Appointed as a judge of the Special Court (Trial of Offences Relating to Transaction in Securities) Act, 1992 on 15th October 1999 he decided on important matters under PIL pertaining to CRZ, financial matters under RBI and Banking Regulation Act, matters concerning the constitutional validity of the 74th Amendment Act of 1992 dealing with municipalities, matters under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976, matters concerning mergers and acquisitions, matters under Payment of Bonus Act, as well as matters under Industrial Disputes Act.

In addition to the above, he also dealt with matters under the Income Tax Act pertaining to issues of stocks, Modvat, commercial accounting and others.