Nagpur: Justice Nitin Sambre, who hails from Nagpur, was on Monday appointed Acting Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, following elevation of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya to the Supreme Court. The appointment has been welcomed in Nagpur’s legal circles, where the senior judge began his legal career.
The union ministry of law and justice issued the notification under Article 223 of the Constitution for his appointment.
Justice Sambre was the senior-most judge of Delhi High Court after Justice Upadhyaya, leading to his appointment as Acting Chief Justice. He will oversee the court’s judicial and administrative functioning in the interim.
Born in Nagpur on Dec 19, 1967, Justice Sambre completed his BCom from Shivaji Science College and obtained his LLB from University College of Law, Nagpur, in 1992. He enrolled as an advocate on Aug 25, 1992 and began his legal career with then senior counsel Sharad Bobde, who later became Chief Justice of India.
He practised in civil, writ and criminal matters before all three benches of Bombay High Court — Mumbai, Aurangabad and Nagpur. He also served as secretary of High Court Bar Association, Nagpur, from 2004 to 2007.
Justice Sambre was elevated as an Additional Judge of Bombay High Court on Jan 6, 2014 and became a permanent judge on March 2, 2016. During his tenure, he handled civil, criminal, constitutional and administrative matters and also held judicial and institutional responsibilities.
He was transferred to Delhi High Court in July 2025 and assumed charge on July 21, 2025. Since then, he has been part of several benches hearing matters before Delhi High Court.
Justice Sambre’s appointment as Acting Chief Justice places a judge with deep roots in Nagpur’s legal community at the helm of one of the country’s most significant constitutional and commercial courts, albeit in an acting capacity, as per the city lawyers.
