Biswanath Somadder

Biswanath Somadder (born 15 December 1963) is an Indian Judge and former Acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court. He took charge as the Acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court from 1 January 2019, after the retirement of the then Chief Justice Debasish Kar Gupta, and remained in charge till 3 April 2019. On and from 17 October 2019, he assumed charge as Judge of the Allahabad High Court.

Career

Somadder was born on 15 December 1963. He completed his schooling at the prestigious La Martiniere for Boys. He then passed his Bachelor of Arts and LL.B from the University of Calcutta and also completed a Certificate Course on Office Automation Tools under the Computer Education Programme of the Regional Computer Centre, Kolkata.

Somadder was enrolled as an Advocate on 21 July 1989. Practised in the High Court at Calcutta as well as the Supreme Court of India. Also appeared before CESTAT, Eastern Regional Bench. Practised in Constitutional (Customs & Central Excise, FERA, Telecommunication, Education, Service & Income Tax), Arbitration, Company, Revenue, Civil and Criminal matters. Specialised in Revenue, Arbitration and Constitutional Laws. Was Senior Counsel for the Central Government in the High Court at Calcutta. Was also the Hony. Joint Secretary of the Bar Library Club of Calcutta High Court, till just prior to his elevation.

On 22 June 2006, he was elevated as a permanent judge of the Calcutta High Court. Justice Somadder was appointed as the Executive Chairman of the State Legal Services Authority of West Bengal on November 5, 2018. Appointed as Judge-in-Charge, Administrative Department, High Court at Calcutta, to discharge the functions assigned under the Appellate Side Rules of the High Court at Calcutta, with effect from November 19, 2018. He became the Acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court from 1 January 2019 and retained the post till 3 April 2019. He assumed charge as Judge of the Allahabad High Court on 17 October 2019.