Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee (born 10 October 1955) is a former chief justice of the High Court of Karnataka.[2] He was appointed as the interim Vice-Chancellor of Presidency University, Kolkata in September 2023. In July 2023, the Governor of West Bengal appointed him as the interim Vice-Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University.[3]
Honourable Justice (Retd.) Subhro Kamal Mukherjee | |
|---|---|
| শুভ্র কমল মুখার্জি | |
 | |
| Vice-Chancellor of the Rabindra Bharati University (acting) | |
| Assumed office 7 July 2023 | |
| Appointed by | Governor of West Bengal |
| Preceded by | Nirmalya Narayan Chakraborty |
| Vice-Chancellor of the Presidency University (acting) | |
| In office 4 September 2023 – 4 June 2024 | |
| Appointed by | Governor of West Bengal |
| Preceded by | Anuradha Lohia |
| Succeeded by | Nirmalya Narayan Chakraborty (acting) |
| 28th Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court | |
| In office 23 February 2016[1] – 9 October 2017 | |
| Appointed by | Pranab Mukherjee, President of India |
| Preceded by | Dhirendra Hiralal Waghela |
| Succeeded by | H. G. Ramesh (acting) |
| Judge of the Karnataka High Court | |
| In office 15 April 2015 – 22 February 2016 | |
| Appointed by | Pranab Mukherjee, President of India |
| Judge of the Calcutta High Court | |
| In office 15 September 2000 – 14 April 2015 | |
| Appointed by | K. R. Narayanan, President of India |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 October 1955 Bhagalpur, Bihar |
| Spouse |
Krishna Mukherjee (m. 1981) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Calcutta |
Background
editMukherjee comes from a family of lawyers and is a sixth-generation lawyer.[4] He completed his Master of Arts in history and LLB from Calcutta University. He joined the Calcutta High Court as an advocate in 1982 practicing mainly in civil and writ matters.[1]
Judicial career
editMukherjee was appointed a permanent judge of the Calcutta High Court on 15 September 2000. He was transferred to Karnataka High Court on 15 April 2015.[5] Upon transfer of the then chief justice, Dhirendra Hiralal Waghela, to Odisha High Court,[6] he was appointed the acting chief justice of Karnataka High Court on 1 June 2015.[7] He took the oath as the chief justice on 23 February 2016. His oath was administered by the governor of Karnataka, Vajubhai Vala.[4]
Controversies
editIn 2017, the Bar Council of Karnataka sought action against Mukherjee after he commented that Tipu Sultan was not a freedom fighter, but a monarch who fought to safeguard his interests. On his retirement as chief justice, he was not accorded the customary farewell following a resolution passed by the Karnataka State Bar Council.[8]
Mukherjee's appointment by Governor C. V. Ananda Bose as the acting Vice-Chancellor of both Rabindra Bharati University and Presidency University took place amidst centre-state tensions between the governor and the Government of West Bengal. The West Bengal education minister, Bratya Basu, said, "The Governor's recent action is aimed at bankrupting the higher education system. He is destroying the statutes of respective state universities. Such appointments have been made without consulting anybody. He is acting in a dictatorial manner."[9]
In August 2023, Mukherjee stopped going to his office in Rabindra Bharati University "out of fear" after a section of staff members accused him of consuming alcohol inside his office. Mukherjee denied the allegation and claimed that it was he who was abused by the staff members of the university.[10]
In September 2023, the student organisations Independents' Consolidation and Students' Federation of India expressed scepticism over Mukherjee's appointment as acting VC of Presidency University. The student bodies alleged interference by the union government in university appointments and raised questions over his lack of academic qualifications to head a university.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b "Hon'ble The Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee". High Court of Karnataka. Retrieved 29 November 2017.[dead link]
- ^ "Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee sworn-in as Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court". Jagran Josh. 25 February 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- "I'm not a political person: New Rabindra Bharati University VC Kamal Mukherjee". The Economic Times. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023. - ^ "West Bengal governor appoints interim vice-chancellors of seven universities". The Telegraph. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Mukherjee sworn in as 28th Chief Justice". The Hindu. 24 February 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
- ^ P Vasantha Kumar (15 April 2015). "Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee on Wednesday took oath as a judge of Karnataka high court..Justice Mukherjee was transferred recently from the Calcutta high court". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ "Justice Waghela new Odisha Chief Justice". The Hindu. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ "Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee appointed as acting Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court". Jagran Josh. 25 June 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ K.M. Rakesh (7 July 2023). "Bar association had sought action against Justice Mukherjee for his style of functioning". My Kolkata. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ "Mamata Banerjee battles with Governor: This time over university appointments". Firstpost. 5 September 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ "VC on RBU: 'ভয়ে যেতে পারছি না ..', হেনস্থার অভিযোগ রবীন্দ্রভারতী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের উপাচার্যের" [Rabindra Bharati University vice-chancellor complains of harassment]. ABP (in Bengali). 29 August 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ Sougata Mukhopadhyay (4 September 2023). "Students sceptical as former judge takes additional charge as VC of Presidency University". The Telegraph. Retrieved 22 October 2023.