Sudhanshu Dhulia

Early Life and Family

Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia was born on August 10th 1960, in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. Dhulia J is a second-generation Judge—his father Keshav Chandra Dhulia was a Judge of the Allahabad High Court for a few months in 1984. His grandfather, Bhairav Dutt Dhulia, was a freedom fighter and served a three-year jail sentence for participating in the Quit India Movement. 

Career as an Advocate

Justice Dhulia spent the majority of his career as an advocate at the Allahabad High Court. After completing his LL.B in 1986 he practised for 14 years. After the formation of the State of Uttarakhand in November 2000, he began to practice at the Uttarakhand High Court. In 2000, Dhulia J was appointed as the first Chief Standing Counsel in the new State of Uttarakhand. He was later made the State’s Additional Advocate General. In 2004, Dhulia J received the designation of a Senior Advocate. 

In 2008, he was elevated to Judge of the Uttarakhand High Court. He remained in office until January 10th 2021, when he was elevated to the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court. 

Justice Dhulia was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 9th 2022. He will serve a tenure of three years and three months before he retires on 9th August 2025. 

Tenure at the Uttarakhand High Court in Numbers

Over 13 years as a Judge of the Uttarakhand High Court, Dhulia J authored 1,119 Judgments and was part of 1,415 Benches. In the one year and four months he spent as Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Dhulia J authored 81 judgments and sat on 110 Benches.