Balaji15 at 03:56, 25 April 2026

2026-04-25T03:56:49Z

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{{Short description|18th Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2026}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Mahesh Sharadchandra Sonak
| image_size = 200
| caption =
| office = [[List of former chief justices of the high courts of India#Jharkhand High Court|18th Chief Justice]] of [[Jharkhand High Court]]
| term_start = 9 January 2026
| term_end =
| nominator = [[Surya Kant (judge)|Surya Kant]]
| appointer = [[Droupadi Murmu]]
| predecessor = [[Tarlok Singh Chauhan]]
| successor =
| office1 = Judge of [[Bombay High Court]]
| term_start1 = 21 June 2013
| term_end1 = 8 January 2026
| nominator1 = [[Altamas Kabir]]
| appointer1 = [[Pranab Mukherjee]]
| image = JUSTICE M.S. SONAK.jpg
| parents =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1964|11|28}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education = [[B.Sc]] and [[LL.B]]
| alma_mater = M. S. College of Law, Panaji
| honorific_prefix = Hon'ble Chief Justice
}}
'''Mahesh Sharadchandra Sonak''' (born 1964) is an Indian [[judge]] currently serving as the chief justice of [[Jharkhand High Court]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=High Court of Jharkhand, India |url=https://jharkhandhighcourt.nic.in/sitting-judges-high-court-jharkhand.php?pid=MQ== |access-date=2026-01-08 |website=jharkhandhighcourt.nic.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=PTI |date=2026-01-09 |title=Justice Mahesh Sharadchandra Sonak sworn in as Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/jharkhand/justice-mahesh-sharadchandra-sonak-sworn-in-as-chief-justice-of-jharkhand-high-court/article70489581.ece |access-date=2026-01-09 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-09 |title=झारखंड हाई कोर्ट को मिले नए चीफ जस्टिस, महेश शरदचंद्र सोनक को राज्यपाल ने दिलाई शपथ |url=https://www.livehindustan.com/jharkhand/mahesh-sharadchandra-sonak-takes-oath-as-new-chief-justice-of-jharkhand-high-court-201767938331243.html |access-date=2026-01-09 |website=www.livehindustan.com |language=hi}}</ref> He is former judge of the [[Bombay High Court]], [[India]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Profile : M. S. Sonak |url=https://bombayhighcourt.gov.in/bhc/judge-profile/eyJpdiI6IkRGdkNMeFZQVUNrL0gyZnBGZDVwUVE9PSIsInZhbHVlIjoiUFlHMlg2UGwxY0hXQ2R1OE9wRm5zUT09IiwibWFjIjoiNzI2Zjk3ZDBhNjI2Nzc1ZTEzNDdmNjYyZTc2MGQwZGRhZjM1Yjk4NWQxOTBkNmZiMDZiODZkMWQ4OGZhNzBhZSIsInRhZyI6IiJ9 |website=Bombay High Court}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Joshi |first=Neha |date=2026-01-07 |title=Silence is a crime when there is a duty to speak: Justice MS Sonak bids farewell to Bombay High Court |url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/silence-is-a-crime-when-there-is-a-duty-to-speak-justice-ms-sonak-bids-farewell-to-bombay-high-court |access-date=2026-01-09 |website=Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Express News |date=2026-01-02 |title=Bombay HC judge MS Sonak appointed Chief Justice of Jharkhand HC |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2026/Jan/02/bombay-hc-judge-ms-sonak-appointed-chief-justice-of-jharkhand-hc |access-date=2026-01-09 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

== Life and career ==
Justice Sonak was born on 28 November 1964 and completed his education including Law in [[Panaji]], [[Goa]]. He was enrolled as advocate with [[Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa]] in October 1988 and practised at [[Bombay High Court#Principal seat and benches|Panaji bench of Bombay High Court]]. He was elevated as an additional judge of the [[Bombay High Court]] on 21 June 2013 and was made permanent on 2 March 2016.

In May 2024, Justice Sonak created history by becoming the first person in Goa to register [[Living will]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shrivastava |first=Amisha |date=2024-06-03 |title=Justice MS Sonak Of Bombay High Court Registers Goa's First 'Living Will' |url=https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/bombay-high-court/justice-ms-sonak-of-bombay-high-court-registers-goas-first-living-will-259479 |access-date=2026-01-03 |website=www.livelaw.in |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Joshi |first=Neha |date=2024-06-01 |title=Justice MS Sonak of Bombay High Court becomes first person in Goa to register 'Living Will' |url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/justice-ms-sonak-bombay-high-court-first-person-goa-register-living-will |access-date=2026-01-03 |website=Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news |language=en}}</ref>

On 18 December 2025, Supreme court collegium headed by CJI [[Surya Kant (judge)|Surya Kant]] recommended him to be appointed as chief justice of [[Jharkhand High Court]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bench |first=Bar & |date=2025-12-18 |title=Collegium recommends appointment of Bombay High Court Justice MS Sonak as Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court |url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/collegium-recommends-appointment-of-bombay-high-court-justice-ms-sonak-as-chief-justice-of-jharkhand-high-court |access-date=2026-01-03 |website=Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news |language=en}}</ref> and central government cleared his elevation on 2 January 2026.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2 January 2026 |title=Centre Notifies Appointment Of Justice MS Sonak As Chief Justice Of Jharkhand High Court |url=https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/all-high-courts/centre-justice-ms-sonak-chief-justice-jharkhand-high-court-516724 |access-date=2 January 2026 |work=Live Law}}</ref> He took oath as chief justice of Jharkhand High Court on 9 January 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=PTI |date=2026-01-08 |title=Newly appointed J'khand HC Chief Justice M S Sonak arrives in Ranchi, to take oath on Jan 9 |url=https://theprint.in/india/newly-appointed-jkhand-hc-chief-justice-m-s-sonak-arrives-in-ranchi-to-take-oath-on-jan-9/2821665/ |access-date=2026-01-08 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sonak, M. S.}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Chief justices of the Jharkhand High Court]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian judges]]
[[Category:Judges of the Bombay High Court]]
[[Category:People from Goa]]

{{India-law-bio-stub}}

M. S. Sonak - Revision history

Balaji15 at 03:56, 25 April 2026