Sujoy Paul sworn-in as HC CJ, Mamata congratulates

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday congratulated Justice Sujoy Paul after he took oath as the 44th Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, welcoming him to what she described as an “elevated seat of justice”.

In a post on X, the CM conveyed her “sincere congratulations” to Justice Paul on his swearing-in and extended her best wishes as he assumed charge of one of the country’s oldest constitutional courts.

Addressing the gathering after the oath ceremony, Chief Justice Paul spoke at length about Kolkata’s role in shaping India’s intellectual, spiritual and Constitutional traditions.

He described the city’s contribution to the freedom movement and India’s spiritual awakening as “immeasurable” and recalled the legacy of some of the earliest legal minds associated with the city, including Gurudas Banerjee, Rash Behari Bose, Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, Bijan Kumar Mukherjea and Durga Das Basu. Judges of the Calcutta High Court, he said, had not only excelled in adjudication but had also set high moral standards.

Justice Paul, who was transferred from the Telangana High Court, had taken oath as a judge of the Calcutta High Court on July 18, 2025. He became the Acting Chief Justice on October 8, 2025, following the retirement of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam.

Members of the Bar, while welcoming the new Chief Justice, raised several institutional concerns. Senior advocates flagged the acute shortage of judges, pointing out that the court was functioning with around 44 judges against a sanctioned strength of 70, a situation likely to worsen with upcoming retirements and the start of a permanent circuit bench in north Bengal.