The Governor of Maharashtra Ch Vidyasagar Rao on Monday (15th Feb) administered the oath of office to Justice Dheerendra Hiralal (D. H.) Waghela as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court at a swearing in ceremony held at the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan, Mumbai.

Chief Secretary Swadheen Kshatriya read out the warrant of appointment of Justice D H Waghela as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court on transfer from Orissa High Court issued by the President of India.

Justice D.H. Waghela was serving as the Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court prior to his transfer to the Bombay High Court. He succeeds Justice Mohit Shah who retired on 8th September 2015. Justice Smt Vijaya K Tahilramani was serving as Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.

Smt Ch Vinodha, wife of the Governor, Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Subhash Desai, Guardian Minister, Deepak Kesarkar, Minister of State, judges of the Bombay High Court, Shreehari Aney, Advocate General of Maharashtra, Justice S R Bannurmath, Chairman of Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission, Ratnakar Gaikwad, State Chief Information Commissioner and senior officers of the State Government were present.

Justice D.H. Waghela was born on 11th August 1954 at Rajkot in the family of artists and artisans. He graduated in commerce from Rajkot and also attended his family business for five years. He stood first from Saurashtra University in General LL.B. as well as in Special LL.B. in the years 1974 and 1975 respectively. He took his masters degree in law LL.M. in 1976-77.

Justice Waghela started his own practice in the year 1978 and practiced in the Labour and Industrial Courts. In the year 1999, he was called to the bench and assumed his office as Additional Judge of the High Court of Gujarat on 17th September, 1999.

Justice Waghela was elevated as the Chief Justice, High Court of Karnataka in March, 2013. He was transferred as the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court on 4th June 2015.