Sunday, March 20 2005 17:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Justice Vikas Shridhar Sirpurkar was today (March 20, 2005) sworn-in as the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court in a solemn ceremony by West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi.

The swearing-in ceremony, held in Court number one of the High Court, was attended by State Law Minister Nisith Adhikari, PWD Minister Amar Chowdhury, all the judges of the court and many other dignitaries.

Addressing the August gathering after the swearing-in ceremony, Justice Sirpurkar said, "I shall try to take the High Court to Everestian heights."

He said that his priority would be to fill up vacancies in the judiciary and to provide legal aid to the poor people, especially peasants and workers, of the State.

Justice Sirpurkar was appointed a judge of Mumbai High Court in 1992.

He was the Chief Justice of Uttaranchal High Court before being appointed the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, which has now got a permanent Chief Justice after a gap of almost one year since former Chief Justice A K Mathur was promoted as a Supreme Court judge in April, 2004.