Dr Akshaya Kumar Mishra, Shatrughana Pujahari Sworn In As Orissa HC Judges

Cuttack: Judicial officer Dr Akshaya Kumar Mishra and Additional Judge Shatrughana Pujahari on Monday took oath as the Justices of the Orissa High Court.

Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court Justice KS Jhaveri administered the oath of office and secrecy to Justice Mishra and Justice Pujahari at a swearing-in ceremony on the High Court premises.

With this, the total number of Judges in the Orissa High Court has gone up to 14.

Mishra was the sole candidate, whom the Supreme Court Collegium found suitable of the 12 names recommended by the Orissa High Court Collegium.

The Orissa High Court Collegium had recommended 12 candidates, including four judicial officers and eight advocates, to the Supreme Court Collegium which on October 31, had declined the names of eleven candidates and recommended the name of Mishra, as the Judge of the Orissa High Court.

After completing his LL.B. from Lala Lajpat Ray Law College, Sambalpur in 1986, Satrughana Pujahari joined in the chamber of Late Hari Prasad Nayak, an eminent lawyer of Sambalpur. In 1996, he joined the chamber of the then Justice PK Mohanty and Justice BP Ray of the Orissa High Court and started practice in Orissa High Court.

After being selected by the High Court in the Orissa Superior Judicial Service (Senior Branch) Examination, Pujahari joined as Second Additional District & Sessions Judge at Berhampur on February 7, 2003. He had also worked as District & Sessions Judge at Jeypore (Koraput), Berhampur (Ganjam), Puri. Besides, he was the chairman of the Sales Tax Tribunal, Member Secretary, Odisha State Legal Services Authority, Cuttack, District & Sessions Judge, Cuttack and principal secretary, Law, of the state government.

He was elevated to the bench of the Orissa High Court as an Additional Judge on November 29, 2013.