Hon’ble Mr. Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan

Designation: Hon'ble the Acting Chief Justice

Born on 9.1.1964 in Tehsil Rohru. Did his entire schooling from Bishop Cotton School, Shimla and was the House Captain Ibbetson House and thereafter the School Captain. Graduated with Honours from DAV College, Chandigarh and thereafter obtained degree in Law from Panjab University, Chandigarh. Enrolled as an Advocate with the Bar Council of Himachal Pradesh in 1989 and joined illustrious chamber of Lala Chhabil Das, Advocate. Started practice in High Court of Himachal Pradesh and practiced in all branches of law. Prior to elevation was Standing Counsel-cum-Legal Advisor of H.P. State Electricity Board Ltd. and earlier to that was Standing Counsel-cum-Legal Advisor of H.P. State Civil Supplies Corporation. Conducted cases of various departments including Boards, Corporations, Financial Institutions, Public and Private Companies, Educational Institutions and Cooperative Societies etc. As a Lawyer, had been actively associated with the Legal Aid Programmes. Remained member of various Lok Adalats. Was appointed Amicus-Curiae by the High Court in many important cases relating to violation of Environmental Laws by the Hydel Projects, Ropeways etc., ban on plastic and tobacco products, implementation of Solid Waste Management Projects and framing of road construction policy in Himachal Pradesh. Elevated as Additional Judge of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh and assumed the Office as such on 23.2.2014 (F.N.) Took oath as Judge of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh on 30^th November 2014 (Forenoon).

His Lordship is the Chairperson of the Juvenile Justice Committee, High Court of Himachal Pradesh w.e.f. 5.5.2014 and during this period, his Lordship has done tremendous work with keen interest for the welfare and interest of the children of Bal/Balika Ashrams, Himachal, Hospital For Mental Health and Rehab Shimla and old age homes of Himachal Pradesh. Participated in various National and International Conferences including the International Judicial Conference on the theme – “Judiciary and the Changing World” held w.e.f. 21.2.2020 to 23.2.2020 in the Supreme Court of India, New Delhi, one Day’s National Level Conference on the Effective Implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 held on 14.12.2019 in Supreme Court of India, New Delhi, North Zone-1 Regional Conference held on Contemporary Judicial Developments and strengthening Justice through Law and Technology” on 24^th and 25^th September, 2022, “Constitution Day Celebrations and Conference on E-Governance in Judicial Domain at Delhi held on 26^th and 27^th November, 2022.,“two-day National Conference of “Digitization and Paperless Courts” held on 6^th and 7^th May, 2023, celebration of “Constitution Day” on 26.11.2023 and the 1^st Regional Conference on Access to Legal Aid: Strengthening Acess to Justice in the Global South” held on 27^th and 28^th November, 2023 at New Delhi, North Zone-I Regional Conference on “Contemporary Judicial Developments and Strengthening Justice through Law & Technology” held on 30^th September & 1^st October, 2023 at Nainital, North Zone-II Regional Conference on “Contemporary Judicial Developments and Strengthening Justice through Law and Technology” at Lucknow on 16^th and 17^th March, 2024, Conference on Technology in the Supreme Court of India, New Delhi on 13.04.2024 and 14.04.2024 and Conference on Re-engineering Judicial Process through Information & Communication Technology (ICT) on 9^th and 10^th March, 2024 at National Judicial Academy, Bhopal.
His Lordship was one of the Members out of three High Courts Judges, who participated in the International Learning Exchange Programme with focus on the “reform of Care and Protection services for children” held in Romania with effect from 13^th to 17^th May, 2019. His Lordship is the first Judge of this High Court to have participated in any such International Conference held abroad. His Lordship attended the “National Annual Stakeholders Consultation on Child Protection” held on 10^th and 11^th December, 2022 in the Supreme Court of India, New Delhi. Remained as Member of the Governing Council as well as Executive Council of the Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla w.e.f. 12.11.2016. Held the post of President of the H.P. Judicial Academy w.e.f. 18.11.2018 to 15.3.2020 and w.e.f. 1.3.2021 to 5.4.2023. Heading the Computer and e-Courts Committee of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh, the computerization in the High Court as well as Subordinate Courts has scaled new heights as now the Advocates/litigants apart from getting information about their cases can also access various other services i.e. applying online for certified copy, pay court fees online, access cause-list, e-file a case (ITR), apply only for e-Gate Pass etc. Further, under his Lordship’s guidance, peripheries have been developed for the day to day working of the High Court as well as Subordinate Courts. To name a few, Typing Test Software has been developed for conducting type test, D-space Repository Software has been developed to store scanned decided files, Display Boards for the current status of the cases taken up in the Courts, SMS and email facility for the Judicial Officers as well as advocates, implementation of e-Office Software in the Establishment Branch of the Registry, Vigilance Software for generation of reports qua institution, disposal and pendency of various categories of cases, Software for tracking the matters pending with other departments/Government etc. Remained as Executive Chairman of the H.P. State Legal Services Authority w.e.f. 13.3.2020 to 25.2.2021 and thereafter w.e.f. 18.9.2021 to 07.11.2021 and now again continuing as Executive Chairman of the H.P. State Legal Services Authority w.e.f. 29.3.2023. Has delivered a number of landmark judgments and till date 69,805 number of cases have been disposed of by his Lordship. Remained as Acting Chief Justice w.e.f. 20.04.2023 to 29.05.2023. Again assumed the charge of the office of Chief Justice (Acting) on 19.10.2024.

Amongst number of landmark judgments few are:
Suo motu cognizance was taken on a tragedy in which 24 students from Engineering Institute Hyderabad had been washed away in the Beas River on 8.6.2014.
In Mathu Ram vs M.C. Shimla, his Lordship held that a time gap in issuance of the policy on regularization which prescribed different cut-off dates cannot be a ground to deny the benefit of regularization on completion of service on daily wage basis.

In a landmark judgment, his Lordship issued comprehensive guidelines to the State Government and the Principal Secretary (Education) was directed to issue mandatory orders to all the educational institutions, whether private or government owned to display detailed information on the notice board which were directed to be placed at the entrance of the campus and on their websites with respect to : Faculty and staff alongwith their qualifications and job experience (profile), details of infrastructure, affiliation alongwith certificates(s) of affiliation, details of internship and placement, fees with complete breakup and details, extracurricular activities with complete details, PTA with address and telephone numbers of its members, transport facilities with details, age of the institute and its achievements, if any, availability of scholarships with complete details, list of alumni(s) alongwith complete addresses and telephone numbers and the State was further directed to ensure that no private educational institution is allowed to charge fee towards building fund, infrastructure fund, development fund etc.

In another landmark judgment, his Lordship directed the State Police to upload all the FIRs on its portal and for registration of FIR online.