Patna: Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo, who hails from Odisha, was officially sworn in on Wednesday as the 47th Chief Justice of Patna High Court.
The ceremony, held at Bihar Lok Bhavan, saw the oath being administered by Bihar Governor Arif Mohammed Khan in the presence of key state dignitaries, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
He succeeds senior Judge Justice Sudhir Singh, who had been officiating as the Acting Chief Justice on the retirement of Chief Justice Pavankumar Bhimappa Bajanthri in October last year.
The appointment comes after the Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, recommended Justice Sahoo for the post on December 18, 2025. It was approved by President Droupadi Murmu and cleared by the central government on January 1. He is the fourth Chief Justice appointed to Patna High Court within a year.
Born on June 5, 1964, to renowned criminal lawyer Sarat Chandra Sahoo, Justice Sahoo completed his matriculation from Nuabazar High School in Cuttack and went on to earn his intermediate and bachelor’s degrees in science from Stewart Science College. He later obtained postgraduate degrees in English and Odia from Utkal University before completing his law degree at Cuttack Law College.
He enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Odisha on November 26, 1989, and initially practised under his father, handling cases across the Orissa High Court, district courts, and various tribunals. Justice Sahoo’s judicial career began with his elevation to the Orissa High Court as a judge on July 2, 2014, where he served for over a decade, including as Executive Chairman of the Odisha State Legal Services Authority.
Known for his expertise in criminal and service law, Justice Sahoo has handled significant cases and contributed to judicial administration.
Justice Sahoo is the fourth judge from Odisha to head Patna High Court, following former Chief Justices of India G B Patnaik (May 19, 1995 – September 11, 1995) and Dipak Misra (December 23, 2009 to May 23, 2010) and Justice P K Mishra (August 12 2009 to September 16, 2009).
