How to protect your land from illegal possession suggests B.S.Ghuman, NRI Lawyer

Invest in farm land the legal way & profit from it

Investment on a piece of land is a safe bet as it assures huge return on investment. But how safe is your property deal? With land grabbers on the prowl and often multiple individuals claiming ownership of a single plot, buyers have to be extremely careful before investing in land, and also take steps to prevent encroachments.

NRI Law Group suggests some do`s and don`ts to lock a legal and smooth land deal.

Legal Issues

Don't Forget To Ask A Good Law Firm To Do Due Paper Work!

Once you have zeroed in on the land, you have to turn your attention to the most important hurdle you may have to surmount: the legal issues. Tell yourself again and again that this is the most crucial step involved in buying a piece of agricultural land. Mr. Ghuman suggests an easy way out: "Ask a sound law firm to do due diligence. Ensure that the title of the land is clear. If you do not have the wherewithal to check the legal issues, then engage a proper realtor or local broker to check them." "The most common mistake is that people don't see if the land has been properly acquired or not, whether the farmers have been rehabilitated or not. There can be numerous problems. You buy land and then realise there are many issues," says Ghuman. He gives some useful tips on how to avoid such mistakes: "Study the state bylaws before buying agricultural land. Land should not have any encumbrance or litigation on it. Also, have a thorough title due-diligence done on the land with at least 30 years historical title check done. There should be no minor, etc, as owner of the land. Make sure that there are no village roads/lanes, well, etc, on the land and there are no LT/HT electrical wires running thought the land." Get your land demarcated clearly, and ensure that the seller gets the boundary wall or fencing done before the title is transferred, he says.Before signing the cheque for the purchase, you need to carefully plan how you are going to take care of the land. Living in a city and taking care of a land far away won't be an easy task. Ghuman suggests a viable solution: "You can hire contract farming firms that will man age the land for you. These contract farming firms may be on a profit-sharing basis. Prior to the acquisition of the land, a contract farming firm could do the testing of the soil to determine what crop can be grown."

Security Issues

Security issues related to such land are usually more complex, feel experts. "If you buy land in a community society then at least there is somebody to look after the land. But if you buy an independent plot, then there is the problem of guarding it as well, which can become very costly," says Ghuman. "Get the fencing and security right, it is very important," says Narayan. "Prima facie, one needs to make sure that there is no land grabbing or the neighbour doesn't extend the boundaries to your land. Hence, basic costs are for creating a boundary wall and a guard," says Ghuman.

A Home Away From Home

But don't start building holiday home in the air, though. Laws prohibit building of holiday homes on agricultural land. Ghuman says, "A farm land is ideally a piece of land where you can do farming. It should not be confused with a holiday home. Different states have different laws for conversion of farm land into a holiday home, motel, hotel. There is a process laid down by each state which governs the change of land use." So, before you build a holiday home, study the laws of the state where you plan to buy the land. Ghuman warns that holiday homes are not great investment options. "A holiday home is mainly a lifestyle option. There's not much scope for investment in such a home because the liquidity is not great." But make no mistake, land is always a valuable investment. "Holding land may be sensible, given the increasing demand for food grains," says Ghuman. "If you have already bought land, it is better to hold on to it as the purchase cost is not likely to be very high," says Ghuman.

Sonepat sisters’ case: Rohtak District and Sessions Judge hails panchayat’s move, girls’ lawyer fumes

Rohtak, December 27

Rohtak District and Sessions Judge Sushil Kumar Gupta today said the alleged molestation and thrashing case involving two sisters of Sonepat could be settled through social intervention. The statement comes a 
day after a panchayat in Kansala village decided to attempt a compromise between the two parties involved in the case.
However, the girls’ lawyer, Attar Singh Pawar, termed the move to settle the matter through mutual compromise as well as the judge’s stance in this regard as “frustrating and unfortunate”.
“There is already social pressure on the girls and their family. Such a stance would increase the pressure on them manifold. This judicial officers should refrain from making such statements,” he stated.
Addressing media persons today, the judge said there was no legal obstacle in settling such cases of compoundable offences through a mutual compromise. This case could be settled by the panchayat if both sides agreed to it.
A special panchayat at Kansala village in the district yesterday made efforts to get it settled through a mutual compromise. A 33-member committee was also constituted for the settlement of the case.
The boys’ counsel, Sandeep Rathee, has welcomed the move to get the matter settled through a mutual compromise.
“Getting the matter settled through a mutual compromise with social intervention is a dignified option. I have no objection to it, provided my clients agree to it. However, it they are not, we will pursue the case in the court,” Rathee said.
Pooja and Aarti, two sisters from Thana Khurd village in Sonepat district, had accused three boys of Aasan village in Rohtak district of molesting them on board a Haryana Roadways bus on November 28. The sisters had thrashed the boys and lodged an FIR against them.
The accused — Kuldeep, Mohit and Deepak — were arrested and later released on bail, while a special investigation team (SIT) was formed to probe the matter. Polygraph tests of the complainants as well as the accused were recently conducted at CBI forensic lab in New Delhi recently.
Judge Gupta, however, pointed out that the outcome of the polygraph tests was not considered a clinching evidence, though it could provide leading clues to the investigators.

We get redressed NRI property encroachment cases faster: Advocate J.P.S. Ghuman

Edmonton (TNP) -  Staying outside India and having to deal with Property issues in the country, can be really a troublesome and a tuff job. Living overseas with limited ability to supervise their property,Non Resident Indians (NRIs) are often victims of property encroachment in India. "Typically people buy land for investment purposes and may seldom visit the plot of land. Such land becomes an easy target for encroachment because the wrong-doers know that the person is not supervising/ checking on the land and they also know that on encroachment it is difficult for the owner to fight a legal battle in absentia. Similarly, houses of NRIs are soft targets where tenants who have lived long enough may refuse to vacate a rented place. In most situations, the legal way of eviction could be time consuming because the tenancy laws in most states are skewed in favor of the tenants," explains Advocate J.P.S.Ghuman, Managing Director of NRI Legal Matters while talking with The NRI Post. 

A possessor enjoys certain judicial protection against third parties even if he is not the owner. This is in order to obviate unlawful acts of violence against the person in possession. However, illegal occupants take advantage of the prevalent laws with respect to possession and many owners face a lot of problem and harassment to get back their properties. The problem is worse in cases of NRIs who are not physically present to look after the properties and forced to depend on locals to look after the properties and litigation if any.

Prevention, then, is obviously better than cure and we have seen in an earlier article the various steps NRIs can take to prevent property encroachment. However, if your property has already been encroached upon, don't lose heart. "There are remedies provided under the law to get back the properties or protect any third party trespassing or interfering in the peaceful possession," Singh points out. But, as Sunder says, "be mentally prepared for a long haul." 
"Remedies are available under section 5 and 6 of the Specific Relief Act, 1963. A person who is dispossessed from his property can get possession on the basis of title and may recover possession merely by proving previous possession and subsequent wrongful dispossession," says Singh. 

Steps to get it back:-

Step 1: Get all the related documents 

In order to be able to prove that, it is important to have your documents in order. "To establish right on the property the owner or a person claiming possession must have documents such as the title deeds, jamabandis, mutation/ intkal, copy of the Will (if any) where the property has been inherited by way of a Will, original purchase agreement/sale deed, electricity bills, water bills and telephone bills etc.," Singh advices. "In addition, keep all payment receipts, cheques, bank drafts (if any) paid to the sellers and annual property tax receipts," advises Bangalore based Advocate Lokesh Anjanappa. 

Step 2: Seek legal help 

Find yourself a lawyer who can help you to quickly draft suitable notices of eviction and have them sent to the illegal occupants. "Discuss at length with the lawyer every minute detail pertaining to the disputed property and file a civil suit seeking 'restraint order' or 'injunctive relief' (Stay) against any continuing threat. Try and obtain copies of the encroacher's documents on which basis an illegitimate claim has suddenly cropped-up in air," says Anjanappa. 

Step 3: File a complaint with police 

"In addition to the Specific Relief Act, proceedings can also take place under section 145 of the Criminal Procedure Code. In states like Punjab, the Government has taken steps such as setting up of NRI police stations where a person who apprehends trespassing or wrongful dispossession can lodge a written complaint. In fact, a written complaint can be sent to the Superintendent of Police (SP) by way of registered post. Even if the SP fails to respond, a private complaint in the court can be filed through an advocate and the case can then be pursued through a special power of attorney (a relative or a close friend) where it is difficult for the owner to be present in India," says Singh. "You can even file a complaint in any police station if there are any threats of bodily harm from the party," says Sunder. 

Step 4: Be open to negotiation 

"Knowing that there are people backing you up could make the encroacher change mind. Also, keep the window of negotiation open so that the futility of it can be impressed upon the encroacher. Considering the financial impact on the property, legal fees, professional charges, lengthy trial period, related expenses, etc., the encroacher may think it more wise to invite the litigating party for some favorable out of court negotiations/settlement," Sunder says. 

Step 5: Be patient 

"Timelines in litigation in India are difficult to speculate. On an average a case takes a minimum of 2-3 years. The cost of litigation varies from case to case. It depends on the city where the case is filed (litigation cost is steep in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmadabad), the complexity of the case and type of lawyer engaged (for instance a designated Senior counsel who might charge on per hearing basis or lawyer with an experience of 10-15 years)," Singh says. Getting back encroached property is often a long winding legal process. The above steps provide a broad guide on what to do if you are in a similar situation. Do consult a professional for your individual circumstance.

Our Non Resident Indian clients can trust us to solve all the legal hassles pertaining to their Property matters in India. We have a team of Property consultants & Legal Advisors,  who is well-versed with all such issues and facilitates and quickly resolve  such iessues.

Any problem, in any Govt. Department relating to your Property in India, you can depute us to handle such matters and forget your worries &. rest is our job and you may relax. Your all the problems will be settled on a very nominal expense, we have the experience of handling such issues of our various clients, successfully who are residing in UK, USA, Canada and Middle East, etc. Mr. Singh added.

Punjab Government refuses 5-star facility to HC judges in Amritsar

Chandigarh, November 20
The Punjab Government has refused to concede to the demand of the Punjab and Haryana High Court for the construction of an “exclusive five-star guest house” for judges in Amritsar.

The government has instead offered to reserve a separate floor in the proposed multi-storey guest house for judges.

A committee of High Court judges had asked the state government to construct an exclusive guest house for them on a piece of land near Kachehri chowk in Amritsar, where the old sessions court stood. The old sessions court building is now being demolished as the new judicial complex has become functional.

The guest house was required since the city was frequented by judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court as well as other High Courts to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, the committee had said. An exclusive guest house would have ensured minimum inconvenience to the judges in case other government guest houses, such as the Circuit House, were fully occupied, it had contended. But the land on which the old building of the sessions court stood is now worth hundreds of crores of rupees.

The state government proposes to set up a multi-storey guest house there in public-private partnership to be managed by a hotel chain. The government proposes to build this facility for all visiting dignitaries and not exclusively for any particular section of VIPs.

“We have now informed the High Court that instead of constructing an exclusive guest house for judges, a set of 10-12 rooms in the proposed multi-storey complex will be reserved exclusively for judges,” said a senior official in the Punjab government. The government has also reiterated that some rooms in the Circuit House in Amritsar will always be reserved for the judges.

Government offers an alternative A committee of HC judges had sought an exclusive guest house for them on a piece of land in Amristar where the old sessions court stood It contended that the facility was required as the city was frequented by judges to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple But the government proposes to set up a multi-storey guest house on the land as it is now worth hundreds of crores of rupees It has offered to reserve a separate floor in the proposed guest house for judges

Mistaken Identity Case: Punjab police deletes name of NRI from 'Non Hardcore Terrorists’ list'

Chandigarh, 14th November, 2013 (NLGC): The Punjab Police today informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that they had deleted the name of US settled NRI Shingara Singh, a native of village Jassomajra in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district,  from the list of 'Non-Hardcore Terrorists'  from the list of ‘Non-Hardcore Terrorists’.

Shingara Singh had submitted that his name has been included in the list of ‘Non-hard-core Terrorists’ maintained at police station Behiram in district Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar.

He informed the court that as per the information received under the RTI Act, SHO, police station Behiram has informed that no criminal case is pending against him but his name figures in the list of ‘Non-hard-core Terrorists’.

The petitioner had submitted that on account of similarity of his name with another Shingara Singh of Kapurthala district, who is a proclaimed offender, having a number of criminal cases pending against him, he is interrogated and harassed by Punjab police whenever he visits Punjab.

Time Line of the Case:

On September 7,2013 in a reply to the Shingara Singh's petition, DSP, Banga (District S.B.S. Nagar) filed affidavit making startling revelation before Punjab and Haryana Highcourt that  “Whosoever went abroad during the period of terrorism  in Punjab, his name was mentioned in the list of Hard-core Terrorists”. During the resumed hearing on Thursday, of a Criminal Petition filed by one Shingara Singh of Village Jasso Mazara, District S.B.S. Nagar (now NRI residing in USA) seeking direction to the Punjab Police to delete his name from the list of “Non-hardcore terrorists” maintained in the Police records of Police Station, Behram (District S.B.S. Nagar), inter-alia, on the grounds that he was never involved in any criminal case during his entire life, Shri Bhagwant Singh, DSP, Banga filed an affidavit  in the HC, candidly admitting that “during the period of terrorism, the persons who went abroad, as per report of Crime Branch, CID Security and Secret information, their names were mentioned in the “list of Hardcore terrorists”. DSP, in his affidavit, however, admitted that there is no record available with the Police showing involvement of the petitioner in the terrorist activities. Police has no objection if  his name is ordered to be deleted from the list of non-hardcore terrorists.  Taking serious exception to the aforesaid contents of the affidavit of DSP, Banga, Hon’ble Justice Ram Chander Gutpa , orally expressed his shock and dismay over the aforesaid statement by DSP, Banga, and also the conduct of the Police in itself not deleting the name of the petitioner from the list of non-hardcore terrorists, and instead    leaving  it to the HC to  order deletion of his name from the said list.

Ex-royal’s daughters get Rs 260b relief from court

Chandigarh: It is a royal bonanza for two daughters of a former maharaja, one they had to wait for over two decades.

A court here has declared a 32-year-old will “forged” and illegal” and granted inheritance of properties and assets worth a whopping Rs260 billion (Dh16 billion) to the two daughters of the erstwhile Maharaja of Faridkot, Harinder Singh Brar.

The properties and assets include the palatial Faridkot House on New Delhi’s Copernicus Marg, a royal palace complex and a fort in Faridkot, a fort in Mani Majra area of Chandigarh, vintage cars (including a Rolls Royce), an aerodrome in Faridkot spread over 200 acres, properties in Hyderabad and Delhi, gold and jewellery worth nearly Rs10 billion with Standard Chartered Bank in Mumbai and more.

Real estate experts and accountants put the total worth of the properties and assets at over Rs260 billion. The Mani Majra fort, which is over 350 years old, is not in very good condition. The erstwhile ruler was allowed to keep these properties after the country’s independence in August 1947.

The legal battle for the assets started in 1992 after the ex-maharaja’s daughter Amrit Kaur filed a case in a court here. Following a 21-year-old legal battle, the court of the chief judicial magistrate Rajnish Kumar, ordered on Thursday that the 1981 will, purportedly drawn up by the maharaja, was “forged and fabricated”.

With the court judgment, Amrit Kaur and her Kolkata-based sister Deepinder Kaur will inherit the properties and assets of the erstwhile ruler. Their third sister, Maheepinder Kaur, who was not married, died under mysterious circumstances in Shimla in 2001.

Brar had three daughters and a son, Harmohinder Singh, who died in a road accident in 1981. Following this, Brar went into a depression.

In her suit, Amrit Kaur, who lives in Sector 10 here, alleged that the will was forged by officials and servants of the ex-ruler at a time when he was depressed. The will, which gave all his properties and assets to the Meharwal Khewaji Trust, was registered in 1982. The trust had some of his servants on board, while his two daughters were appointed chairperson and vice-chairperson for a mere Rs1,200 and Rs1,000 per month.

Following the death of the erstwhile ruler in 1989, the trustees took control of all the properties and assets.

Amrit Kaur challenged the will, saying that the trust members had forced her father to sign it at a time when he was depressed. She had claimed that he was not in a “fit state of mind” when the will was drawn up. She pointed out that the will had completely excluded his wife, Narinder Kaur, and mother, Mohinder Kaur, who were alive in 1981-82.

Following the court order declaring the will “illegal and void”, the trustees are likely to appeal to a higher court.

Haryana again seeks separate high court

Punjab says growing pendency may cause law & order problem
New Delhi, April 7
Haryana has once again reiterated its demand for having a separate high court and further sought parity with neighbour Punjab in its share of judges in the existing common high court.

Since 1966, when Haryana was carved out of Punjab, the two states have a common high court in Chandigarh.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, while speaking at the Conference of Chief Ministers of States and Chief Justices of the High Courts in the National Capital today, said: “A separate high court for the state was our Constitutional right. This will not only fulfil the aspirations of the people of Haryana but also strengthen the judicial system in the state.”

This, he suggested, can be done by bifurcating the existing premises, judges and staff of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Keeping in view the increased number of litigations originating from Haryana, he also asked for a change in the ratio of judges from 60:40 to 50:50 between Punjab and Haryana.

Hooda welcomed the idea of having an All-India Judicial Service and supported the initiative of the National Court Management System and the creation of a National Judicial Data Grid.

In his address, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said his state would set up a State Judicial Academy on the outskirts of Shimla. Land has been allocated for the academy and Rs 37 crore earmarked for its construction. The government has given administrative approval of Rs 26 crore and expenditure sanction of Rs 7 crore for the academy, he added.

“The academy will create trained and qualified managerial cadre to manage the judiciary at all levels and also check the shortcomings in the institutions,” Virbhadra said.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal could not make it to the conference due to his party’s conclave in Goa. His speech, which was distributed among delegates, said: “One great challenge that stares us in the face is the failure of the justice delivery system to deliver justice expeditiously which has brought about a sense of frustration amongst litigants. A common man may be tempted to take the law into his own hands by taking resort to extra-judicial means of securing justice which could prove dangerous for peace and stability, and success of the democratic system.”

HC stays execution of Sonepat rape convict Dharam Pal

Chandigarh, April 6
Dharam Pal has escaped the gallows, at least for the time being. Four days after the President rejected his mercy petition filed way back in 1999 in a murder case, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed his execution.

One of the grounds taken by Dharam Pal in his petition filed before the high court was that the Supreme Court was already “seized of the matter”. The development is significant as Dharam Pal’s case has two aspects to it: the “mercy petition” and other proceedings before the Supreme Court on the legal issue of execution of convicts on death row who have been in jail for several years.

"The rejection of a mercy petition by the President paves the way for the execution of a convict on death row. But, it is not a direction to the jail authorities to execute the sentence. The proceedings before the court are independent of the President’s decision on mercy petitions; and it’s for the courts to see whether the decision to hang the convict is judicious".

In Dharam Pal’s case, the mercy petition has been rejected. But it is yet to be seen by the court whether condemned prisoners behind bars should be hanged, even after long delay -- an issue that has been raised by militant Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar before the apex court.

Taking up Dharam Pal’s petition for conversion of the death sentence into life imprisonment, the Division Bench of Justice AK Mittal and Justice GS Sandhawalia also issued notice of motion for April 10.

The directions came just about six years after Dharam Pal was sentenced to death. A rape convict, he had later murdered the victim and four of her family while out on parole in 1993. The petition was filed in the high court this morning and was fixed for hearing almost immediately, keeping in view the urgency involved in the mater.

Dharam Pal’s counsel told the Court that till the morning of April 5, he was detained in Rohtak Jail, but in the afternoon he was shifted to Ambala Jail “where preparations were being made for executing his death sentence on Saturday afternoon or Sunday”.

Drawing a parallel between Dharam Pal and Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar’s case, his counsel Navkiran Singh elaborated that the apex court was “seized of the matter pertaining to all the death sentence convicts whose mercy petitions were pending with the President”.

Referring to Bhullar’s case, Navkiran Singh contended that his argument before the Supreme Court was that he has earned a right to get the sentence converted into life imprisonment, due to delay in execution of death penalty. In an attempt to substantiate his contentions, Bhullar was relying on the judgment of the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench in the case of Triveni Behan.

Navkiran added: “Along with the petition, several other petitions have been tagged and the matter has been finally heard by the Supreme Court on April 19, 2012. The judgment stood reserved.”

He also referred to a public interest litigation “Shamik Narain and others versus the Union of India”, in which the Supreme Court had ordered the continuation of interim stay on the death sentence awarded to four aides of sandalwood smuggler Veerapan. The case, he added, stood adjourned for six weeks to enable the “other Bench” to deliver judgment in pending matters.

Court’s Role
The rejection of a mercy petition by the President paves the way for the execution of a convict on death row, but it is not a direction to jail authorities to execute the sentence
The proceedings before the court are independent of the President’s decision and it’s for the courts to see whether the decision to hang the convict is judicious
In Dharam Pal’s case, it is yet to be seen by the court whether condemned prisoners behind bars should be hanged, even after long delay.

District Courts to re-open in new complex after winter break

Chandigarh, Mon. Dec. 10 2012 - After much delay, the District Court Complex in Chandigarh will be shifting to from its current residence in Sector 17 to the new building in Sector 43 in about two weeks. District and Sessions Judge, S K Aggarwal informed that the court will reopen in the new building after the winter break which starts on December 25.“Some pending tasks at the new building and beautification has been done. The shifting will be done in December and from 2013, the court will reopen in Sector 43,” said Aggarwal.President of the District court Bar Association, Advocate N K Nanda, said: “I have had a meeting with the sessions judge. We are not ready to shift in the new complex yet, but since our Judge insists, we shall abide by him.”Nanda added: “The inauguration of the new court building will be held in the next few days as and when we get a confirmation from the Chief Justice of India. However, we have requested some more time from the Sessions Judge to shift to the new building. For the same, we have been given till January 2, 2013 when the courts reopen after the winter break.”
‘Insisting’ judge stops further delay
The shifting to Chandigarh District Courts has been delayed previously. After a debacle over demand for new furniture at the new court complex and incomplete construction of lawyers’ chambers and the parking lot, the deadline of the courts to shift was extended to December 2012. And the new sessions judge is adamant to meet the deadline.There are certain other things for which the insisting attitude of the newly appointed sessions judge is proving very helpful. For instance, the formulation of a local commission to record evidences. “A panel of lawyers and retired judges with minimum ten years of experience has been formed, which will record the evidences in a particular case if the counsels want the witnesses to be examined the same day by paying a minimal amount,” said Justice S K Aggarwal.Video conferencing facility between the court complex and Model Jail was started recently even though it was to start in the new court complex. But the Judge said, “We will just have to unplug some wires and plug them back in the new building. If we have the resources, why not use them?”

Paras Downtown Square, Zirakpur directed to pay Rs 2 lakh to showroom owner

Chandigarh, December 9
The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Punjab, has penalised the Paras Downtown Square in Zirakpur for discontinuing the payment of assured return to the complainant against the agreement reached between the two sides.
The opposite party (including various officials of the mall) has been directed to deliver the actual physical possession of the premises to the complainant and pay Rs 2,00,000 to the complainant for causing physical and mental harassment and adopting an unfair trade practice.
The complainant, Gurbir Singh, a resident of Mohali, alleged that he was “allured by the opposite parties to invest money and therefore, agreed to purchase a shop in Paras Downtown Square, Zirakpur, for self-employment. He paid the entire amount of Rs 79,84,200 as per the buyer agreement.”
“The opposite parties were bound to pay the assured return of Rs 1,35,446 per month to the complainant which was paid from September, 2008 to March, 2010 but thereafter, they stopped paying the same. The opposite parties also refused to deliver the possession of the shop premises to the complainant,” read the copy of the judgement.
The Commission directed the opposite parties to pay the entire amount due from the complainant as arrears of assured income along with interest at the rate of per cent per annum. The opposite parties have also been directed to pay Rs 25,000 towards cost of litigation.

Justice Sikri is new Punjab and Haryana HC CJ

New Delhi, September 21

Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri has been appointed as the Chief Justice (CJ) of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. At present, Justice Sikri is the Acting CJ of the Delhi HC.The President has also appointed CJs for the Delhi and Kerala HCs. Justice Darmar Murugesan, at present at Madras HC, has been made the CJ of Delhi HC. Justice Manjula Chellur is the new CJ of Kerala HC. She is now a judge of the Kerala HC.

All the appointments would be effective from the date they assume charge, an official press note said. Born on March 7, 1954, Justice Sikri had an excellent academic record. He stood third on the merit list in Higher Secondary from CBSE, Delhi, and did his B.Com (Hons.) from Shriram College, Delhi University in 1974 and LL.B from the Law Faculty in University of Delhi in 1977. He was awarded gold medal for attaining the first position in LL.B in Delhi University and given a special prize for getting highest marks in Constitutional Law I & II. He had the distinction of securing the first position in all six semesters of LL.B and getting all several prizes and medals of Delhi University for LL.B course.

He did LL.M from Delhi University (DU) and got first position. He won medals and prizes in various extra curricular activities. He was president of Campus Law Centre, Delhi University in 1976-77 and was Member of Academic Council of DU in 1976-77 and various committees of DU.