On Tuesday, Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, appointed Justice Ali Mohd Magrey as Chief Justice of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh.
According to a notification made by Rajinder Kashyap, Additional Secretary to the Government of India, “in the exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Justice Ali Mohd Magrey, Judge of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, to be Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office.”
In a meeting of the Collegium on September 28 which was presided over by Justice of India U.U. Lalit, the Chief Justice of India, the Supreme Court collegium had recommended his elevation. The decision was made after the transfer of the incumbent Chief Justice, Pankaj Mithal, to the Rajasthan High Court.
Justice Ali Mohd Magrey was born on December 8, 1960 and in Village Wattoo, Tehsil Damhal Hanjipora, District Kulgam, Kashmir. He completed his elementary and secondary education in his hometown before attending the University of Kashmir for his undergraduate and law degrees.
In 1984, Justice Magrey was enrolled to the bar and began practising law in district courts, including revenue courts and tribunals. He also began hearing cases in the High Court at the same time. From 1986, he continued to serve as standing counsel for the State Financial Corporation, Jammu & Kashmir Bank, SIDCO, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Power Development Department, Service Selection Board, and Jammu & Kashmir Wakf Board.
In February 2003, he was appointed as Additional Advocate General. In addition to appearing and conducting significant criminal, division bench, and full bench matters involving significant legal issues on behalf of the State in the High Court and in numerous appeals before the Supreme Court of India, he was appointed Senior Additional Advocate General in September 2009 and given additional responsibility for the Home Department.
He also appeared and conducted significant public interest litigation in constitutional, service, tax, and civil matters. In 2013, he was appointed as a Judge of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh.
