With five newly appointed additional judges assuming office on Monday, the total number of judges in the Karnataka High Court increased to 33 as against the sanctioned strength of 62.
Justice Ashok G. Nijagannavar, born in 1959 at Manthur in Hubballi, has served as district judge since 2002. He had served as a member-secretary of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority and was the Registrar-General of the High Court prior to his elevation as judge.
Born in 1964 at Hethur in Sakleshpur, Justice H.P. Sandesh was also serving as a district judge since 2002. He had servved as Registrar (administration), and Registrar (infrastructure) of the High Court. He was serving as Registrar (Vigilance) prior to his elevation.
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Justice K. Natarajan, born in 1964 in Bengaluru, had also joined the judicial service as a district judge in 2002 and worked as Registrar of various sections in the High Court between 2013 and 2015. He was serving as principal district and sessions judge, Shivamogga, prior to his elevation.
Born in 1958 in Dharwad district, Justice P.G.M. Patil had joined the judicial service in 1987 as a Munsiff and Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), and was promoted as a senior civil judge in 1997, and later as a district judge.
Justice A.H. Bellunke, born in 1957 in Dharwad district, had also joined the judicial service in 1987 as a Munsiff and JMFC and was later promoted as a senior civil judge, and as a district judge in 2003.
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Both Justice Patil and Justice Bellunke had retired from the judicial service in the cadre of district judges prior to the Supreme Court collegium’s August 1, 2018 recommendation to elevate them as judges of the High Court.