Mumbai: Pursuant to the recommendations of the Supreme Court collegium, the President of India on Tuesday accorded the appointment of Justice Abhay Oka of the Bombay High Court as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court. Justice Oka has been asked to take charge of the office of the CJ, Karnataka HC, at the earliest.
Justice Oka, the senior-most judge of the HC was shortlisted by the collegium headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. The collegium named Justice Oka after the office of the CJ of Karnataka HC turned vacant following the elevation of the outgoing CJ to the top court. Justice Oka is known for his “straightforward and no-nonsense” attitude.
He is one of those judges of the HC, who often takes the state government to task. Notably, Justice Oka was accused of harbouring bias against the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government, in the matters pertaining to noise pollution. The allegation levelled by the government was criticised by everyone in the legal fraternity and also by the general public.
Justice Oka was elevated as the HC judge in August 2003 and was made a permanent judge in November 2005. He had enrolled as an advocate in June 1983 and initially practiced in the district court at Thane and subsequently joined the chambers of his father and later the office of Justice VP Tipnis, former judge of the HC and also a former Lok Ayukta.
