Munish Sood
Shimla
The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Sunday got three new members on its Bench with the swearing-in of senior judicial officers Chirag Bhanu Singh, Bhupesh Sharma and Yogesh Jaswal at a ceremony held at Raj Bhavan.
While Chirag Bhanu Singh was sworn in as a Judge of the High Court, Bhupesh Sharma and Yogesh Jaswal took oath as Additional Judges. Governor Kavinder Gupta administered the oath of office and secrecy to the three judicial officers in the presence of Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia.
The appointments were formally notified by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice on August 27 following approval of the Supreme Court Collegium. The elevation of the three experienced judicial officers is expected to further strengthen the High Court Bench and add to its judicial capacity.
The three new appointees bring with them extensive experience of the district judiciary, trial courts, judicial administration and other important legal assignments.
Chirag Bhanu Singh: From Mandi to the High Court Bench
Chirag Bhanu Singh, who hails from Mandi district, brings extensive judicial and administrative experience to the High Court.
Born on December 18, 1970, Singh completed his graduation from Vallabh Post Graduate College, Mandi, and obtained his law degree from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla. He enrolled with the High Court Bar Association, Shimla, in 1994 and practised civil, criminal, constitutional and service matters before joining the judicial service.
During his judicial career, Singh served in several important positions, including Additional District and Sessions Judge, Judge of the Himachal Pradesh Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court and District and Sessions Judge.
He also held significant administrative and legal assignments, including Legal Remembrancer-cum-Principal Secretary (Law) to the Himachal Pradesh Government, besides serving in senior positions associated with the Lokayukta and Human Rights Commission and the State Judicial Academy.
Singh has also served as Registrar (Judicial-I) of the Supreme Court of India on two occasions. Prior to his elevation, he was serving as District and Sessions Judge, Kangra at Dharamshala.
His elevation to the High Court marks the culmination of a career spanning legal practice, trial-court adjudication, district judiciary, judicial administration and important constitutional and legal assignments.
Bhupesh Sharma: From Registrar General to the Bench
Bhupesh Sharma joins the High Court Bench with nearly three decades of experience in the Himachal Pradesh Judicial Service.
He entered the state judicial service on July 9, 1996, as Sub-Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate after completing his law degree from Himachal Pradesh University. He subsequently served in several judicial positions and was promoted to the Higher Judicial Service in 2012.
Sharma served as Special Judge, CBI, Shimla, and later held the responsibility of District and Sessions Judge in several districts of the state.
His experience also includes senior administrative responsibilities within the High Court. He was appointed Registrar General of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in October 2024, a position that gave him an important role in the administrative functioning of the institution.
His elevation as an Additional Judge brings to the Bench extensive experience in both judicial adjudication and High Court administration.
Yogesh Jaswal: Nearly Three Decades of Judicial Experience
Yogesh Jaswal, appointed as an Additional Judge, also brings nearly three decades of judicial experience to the High Court.
Born on March 2, 1967, at Ambota in Una district, Jaswal completed his education in Shimla and obtained his law degree from Himachal Pradesh University. He joined the Himachal Pradesh Judicial Service in July 1996 as Sub-Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate.
Over the years, he served at various judicial stations and was promoted to the Higher Judicial Service in 2013. He subsequently held several important positions, including Additional District and Sessions Judge and District and Sessions Judge.
Jaswal has served in districts including Kinnaur, Chamba and Kangra and has also held important assignments in the High Court administration. His career includes a stint as Director of the Himachal Pradesh Judicial Academy, besides other judicial and administrative responsibilities.
Before his elevation to the High Court, Jaswal was serving as District and Sessions Judge, Sirmaur at Nahan, a position he assumed in April 2025.
Oath Ceremony at Raj Bhavan
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, Health Minister Dr Colonel Dhaniram Shandil, judges of the High Court, senior judicial and administrative officers, police officials and other dignitaries.
Chief Secretary K.K. Pant conducted the proceedings and read out the warrants of appointment issued by the President of India. Governor’s Secretary Sandeep Bhardwaj facilitated the signing of the oath documents by the Governor and the newly appointed judges.
The induction of the three judicial officers comes at an important time for the state judiciary. Their combined experience of district courts, trial proceedings, judicial administration and specialised assignments is expected to add considerable institutional experience to the High Court.
With the elevation of Chirag Bhanu Singh as a Judge and Bhupesh Sharma and Yogesh Jaswal as Additional Judges, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has further strengthened its Bench with three officers who have spent decades serving the state’s judicial system.
