Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal was sworn in as the 44th Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court on Monday (September 7, 2026) at a ceremony held at Lok Bhavan. Governor Haribhau Bagade administered the oath of office in the presence of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, his Cabinet colleagues, judges, and administrative officials. The Union government notified Agrawal’s elevation following a recommendation by the Supreme Court Collegium. Agrawal, who was first appointed as an additional judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court in September 2013 and became a permanent judge in March 2016, left for Jodhpur immediately after the swearing-in ceremony to begin his judicial work at the High Court’s principal seat. His appointment is seen as significant for streamlining the judicial system in the state and ensuring the speedy disposal of pending cases.

Agrawal’s appointment comes amid a controversy surrounding Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, who had been serving as the High Court’s Acting Chief Justice since September 2025. A Supreme Court judge, Justice Sandeep Mehta, recently wrote a series of letters to the Chief Justice of India, making complaints about Sharma’s conduct and seeking his transfer. Mehta alleged "misuse of powers, favouritism, nepotism, and administrative lapses" by Sharma in his letters. The issue also triggered protests by lawyers in Jodhpur as well as at the High Court’s Bench in Jaipur, with protesters demanding that Sharma be divested of his charge and a permanent Chief Justice be appointed in the state.

Sharma, who is due to retire on September 26, has rejected the allegations levelled against him as baseless and called upon all concerned to "remain patient" until the CJI takes a decision. In a statement released last week, Sharma said he had placed his version with the supporting evidence before the CJI. Meanwhile, Justice Mehta had raised allegations concerning Sharma’s exercise of administrative powers and the listing of cases. The CJI indicated that the allegations against a sitting judge would have to be examined through the established institutional mechanism and that Sharma should be given an opportunity to respond. Sharma subsequently submitted a detailed response to the CJI, rejecting the allegations as baseless and saying his response was supported by evidence.

Agrawal briefly served as acting chief justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court following the retirement of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha on September 4, pending the completion of his appointment to the Rajasthan High Court. The central government notified Agrawal’s appointment on Saturday, about a month after the Supreme Court Collegium had recommended his elevation. Agrawal’s swearing-in marks a significant shift in the state’s judicial leadership amid ongoing scrutiny of Sharma’s conduct.