HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT SIKKIM

Son of late Shri Bhim Raj Pradhan and Mrs. Bindumati Pradhan. Studied at Tashi Namgyal Academy and St. Paul's School, Darjeeling. B.A.(Hons.) from Elphinstone College, Mumbai and LL.B. from Government Law College, Mumbai. Enrolled with the Bar Council of Maharashtra in 1991. Worked with leading Law Firms in the country at New Delhi – Khaitan & Co. and Karanjawala & Co. between 1991 to 1998. Practiced before the Supreme Court of India and various High Courts, District Courts, Tribunals and Commissions, handling Civil, Criminal and Constitutional matters. 1998 to 2017 – practiced before High Court of Sikkim, High Court of Guwahati, appeared before High Court of Judicature at Allahabad and Jaipur Bench of Rajasthan High Court and also practiced before the Trial Courts in Sikkim and Assam.

Designated as Senior Advocate in the year 2008 at the age of 42.

Elected as General Secretary (2009-2012) and President (2015–elevation) of the Bar Association of Sikkim. Lifetime Member of the Bar Association of India and the Bar Association of Sikkim, and a Member of the Indian Law Institute, New Delhi.

Other Professional Contributions:

• Master Trainer of National Legal Services Authority, New Delhi (July 2015).
• Member of Committee on Sikkim High Court Practice and Procedure Rules amendments.
• Member of Monitoring Committee, District Legal Services Authority East & North Sikkim (2010–elevation).
• Member of High Court Museum Committee (set up Sikkim's first Judicial Museum).
• Rendered pro bono services to Sikkim Legal Services Authority (SLSA).
• Amicus Curiae in various High Court matters.
• Resource Person/Lecturer for SLSA, Sikkim Judicial Academy, Sikkim University and Sikkim Government Law College.
• Joint Coordinator and Contributor of the Criminal Justice India Series, Vol. 18 (Sikkim), published by Allied Publishers in collaboration with NUJS Kolkata, funded by Ford Foundation.

Appointed as a Judge of the High Court of Sikkim on 18 May 2017. Took oath as Judge of the High Court of Sikkim on 23rd May, 2017. His Lordship has headed and been part of various Committees since his elevation.

• Judge-in-Charge/Chairperson of the Sikkim Judicial Academy, High Court of Sikkim since 31.05.2017 – 20.02.2026.
• Judge-in-Charge/President of the Board of Governors, Sikkim Judicial Academy from 21.02.2026.
• Executive Chairperson of the Sikkim State Legal Services Authority from 26.07.2026.
• Chairperson of High Court Legal Services Committee since 15.03.2023.
• Judge-in-Charge of (i) Museum Committee since 21.11.2017; (ii) Arrears Committee since 17.03.2023; (iii) Mediation and Conciliation Committee since 04.04.2023; (iv) Building and Infrastructure of all Districts of Sikkim.
• Administrative Judge of all Districts of Sikkim at present.
• Member of Recruitment Committee to oversee recruitment process of officers/staff of the High Court and all District Courts and also of the Judicial Officers of the State from 25.02.2026.
• President of the Board of Governors of Sikkim Judicial Academy from 21.02.2026.
• Chairperson of (i) Building Committee and Committee for Monitoring the Infrastructure Development in the High Court and Subordinate Courts of Sikkim; (ii) Committee for better and effective implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and Sikkim Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2019; (iii) Committee to re-visit all High Court Rules as well as Rules for proper management and preservation of the disposed of records for the High Court and Subordinate Courts; (iv) State Court Management Systems Committee (v) Audit Report Committee; (vi) Vehicles Committee; (vii) Committee to oversee direction passed in WP(C) No. 538 of 2023 (Rajeeb Kalita vs. UOI); (viii) Committee for Ensuring the Implementation of the Decisions of the Apex Court in Satinder Kumar Antil vs. CBI; (ix) Finance Committee to oversee finance, budget, expenditure and accounts; Committee for Service Conditions of the District Judiciary (CSCDJ) and (x) High Court Level Accessibility Committee.
• Chairman: (i) Steering Committee for implementation of the Information and Communication Technology; (ii) Artificial Intelligence Committee; (iii) Grievance Redressal Committee in pursuance of order dated 11.05.2026 in BCI vs. High Court of Andhra Pradesh; (iv) Committee for publication of the Sikkim Law Reports of the High Court of Sikkim; (v) Editorial Board for publication of Newsletters of the High Court of Sikkim; (vi) Advocates’ Welfare Fund Committee; (vii) Advisory Board under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs &Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988.
• Member: (i) Library Committee; (ii) Budget and Purchase Committees; (iii) Public Interest Litigation Committee; (iv) Committee for Service Conditions of the District Judiciary (CSCDJ); (v) Grievance Committee to address grievances of officers & staff members; (vi) Grievance Committee to address the grievances of former Chief Justices and Judges of High Court of Sikkim; (vii) Committee for architectural drawings/plans of the proposed parking, offices and cafeteria.
• Judicial Nodal Point at High Court Level in regard to Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee (JIAC).