Bombay High Court’s second senior-most judge resigns as he expected transfer to another state

Justice Satyaranjan Dharmadhikari told ‘Maharashtra Times’ that it was not possible for him ‘to leave Maharashtra due to personal and familial reasons’.

Justice Satyaranjan Dharmadhikari of the Bombay High Court has resigned, PTI reported on Friday. Dharmadhikari sent his resignation letter to President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday. He was the second senior-most judge in the court, where he was appointed in 2003, and was in line to succeed Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog.

The Maharashtra Times reported that Dharmadhikari resigned because he was going to be appointed chief justice in a High Court of another state. “...It was not possible for me to leave Maharashtra due to personal and familial reasons,” the judge said. “Therefore, I have resigned from my post.”

The judge announced his resignation in court on Friday after lawyer Mathew Nedumpara mentioned a petition, and urged the court to hear it next week. “I have demitted the office,” Dharmadhikari said in response. “Today is my last day.”

Nedumpara said he initially thought Dharmadhikari was joking. “When the judge said he has resigned, I initially thought he said it in a lighter vein,” the lawyer added. “He is a very senior judge and his resignation comes as a shock.”

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