Mumbai: The wheels of justice turned slowly but resolutely for the incoming Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Dipankar Datta, as he navigated the 2,000 km distance from Kolkata to Mumbai by road to take up his new posting. Going by the book, the car in which the judge has been travelling has two passengers - Datta and his wife while the driver was his son.
The newly appointed Chief Justice started his journey from Kolkata on early morning of April 25 with his son driving the car. CJ Dipankar Dutta is likely to reach Mumbai by Monday evening. His oath ceremony has been scheduled on Tuesday.
Maharashtra's governor Bhagatsingh Koshyari would be administering oath to CJ Datta in state's Raj Bhavan on Tuesday evening. In following the rules of present times, the swearing-in ceremony has been kept as a limited affair with only a few attendees such as chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, his deputy Ajit Pawar and a few senior judges of the HC.
Notably, Justice Datta's name was recommended last week by the Supreme Court collegium led by Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde. The recommendation was approved within a few days and accordingly the President of India issued his appointment last weekend.
Justice Datta is the senior-most judge (after CJ) of the Calcutta HC and has been a judge for nearly 14 years since his appointment in June 2006.
A constitutional and educational law expert - Justice Datta is the son of Salil Kumar Datta, former judge of the Calcutta HC. His brother-in-law Justice Amitava Roy has been a Supreme Court judge.
