Justice Harish Tandon was sworn in as the 35th Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court on Wednesday. The oath of office was administered by Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati.

The ceremony, held within the High Court premises, was attended by Judges of the High Court and members of the Bar.

On March 6, 2025, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended Justice Harish Tandon, the senior-most puisne judge of the Calcutta High Court, for appointment as the Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court. The Centre officially notified his appointment on March 21, 2025.

While recommending his appointment, the Collegium recognized Justice Harish Tandon's seniority, noting that he ranks 7th in the All-India High Court Judges Seniority List.

“Before his elevation as Judge of the High Court, he practised in High Court at Calcutta in civil matters. He has acquired extensive experience in dispensing justice. He is considered to be a competent judge and possesses a high level of integrity and conduct required of a person holding high judicial office,” the resolution had further stated.

Justice Harish Tandon will serve as the Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court for nearly 20 months unless he is elevated or transferred before his retirement on November 15, 2026. Born on November 16, 1964, he graduated from Calcutta University in 1983 and earned his LL.B. in 1989.

He enrolled with the Bar Council of West Bengal the same year and began practicing at the Calcutta High Court, focusing on civil and constitutional cases. He also appeared before the City Civil Court, Debt Recovery Tribunal, and the Supreme Court. He was appointed as a permanent judge of the Calcutta High Court on April 13, 2010.

With Justice Harish Tandon's appointment as Chief Justice, the working strength of the Orissa High Court has increased to 19, against a sanctioned strength of 33. However, this number will soon drop to 18 with the transfer of Justice Sinha. The court has not seen any new appointments since September 2023 and is set to face three more vacancies by the end of next year with the retirements of Justices Sangam Kumar Sahoo, Chittaranjan Dash, and Ananda Chandra Behera.