Sanjay Kumar Agrawal Takes Oath as Rajasthan High Court Chief Justice

Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal was sworn in as the 44th Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court on Monday at a ceremony held at Lok Bhavan in Jaipur. Governor Haribhau Bagade administered the oath of office in the presence of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, cabinet colleagues, judges, and administrative officials.

Justice Agrawal, who was transferred from the Chhattisgarh High Court, was appointed following a recommendation by the Supreme Court Collegium and a subsequent notification by the Union government. He had initially joined the Chhattisgarh High Court as an additional judge in September 2013 and was elevated to permanent judge in March 2016.

Following the ceremony, Justice Agrawal departed for Jodhpur to assume judicial duties at the High Court's principal seat. His appointment is expected to streamline judicial processes and expedite the disposal of pending cases in the state.

The swearing-in comes against the backdrop of controversy surrounding Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, who had been serving as Acting Chief Justice since September 2025. Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta had written to the Chief Justice of India alleging "misuse of powers, favouritism, nepotism, and administrative lapses" by Justice Sharma. The allegations prompted protests by lawyers in Jodhpur and at the Jaipur Bench, with demonstrators demanding a permanent Chief Justice be appointed.

Justice Sharma, who is due to retire on September 26, has dismissed the allegations as baseless and urged all parties to remain patient until the Chief Justice of India reaches a decision. He stated that he has submitted his version of events along with supporting evidence to the CJI.