Sheriff of Mumbai

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The Sheriff of Mumbai is an apolitical titular position of authority bestowed for one year on a prominent citizen of Mumbai. The last Sheriff of Mumbai appointed was Dr. Mrs. Indu Shahani, principal of H. R. College, 2008.

The Sheriff is an officer of the High Court and the nominal Head of the High Court Department which carries out the orders of the High Court for summoning people, and also for attachment and sealing of properties and if ordered for their auction. The Sheriff has an office and staff but does not have any executive powers. The Sheriff office is in Bombay High Court, Fort on the Ground Floor. In the order of precedence, the Sheriff ranks just below the Mayor. Mumbai and Kolkata (Calcutta) are the only cities in India to maintain this post.

The most important social function of the Sheriff is to receive foreign dignitaries at the airport on behalf of the city and to call condolence meetings on the demise of prominent citizens of the city.

The first Sheriff of Mumbai after independence was Mahadeo Laxman Dahanukar, a city businessman in 1948. His son, Shantaram Mahadeo Dahanukar was also a Sheriff of Mumbai in 1969.

The Sheriff presides over various city-related functions and conferences and is in charge of receiving foreign guests of the government. The post gives the incumbent close access to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the Municipal Commissioner of the city. It is often criticised by citizens as a waste of public money. As the post is apolitical, many prominent citizens use it as a platform to showcase their achievements and serve the citizens of the metropolis.

Former Sheriffs

Former Sheriffs include:

S. No. Name Term Known for
1 Bhau Daji 1869 Physician, Educationalist
2 Bhau Daji 1871 Physician, Educationalist
3 Adamjee Peerbhoy 1898 Businessman
4 M. L. Dahanukar 1948 Businessman
5 Joachim Alva 1949 Lawyer, journalist and politician
6 Anandilal Podar 1952
7 Frank Moraes 1962 Journalist
8 Shantaram M. Dahanukar 1969
9 Dilip Kumar 1980 Legendary Indian Thespian & Social Worker
10 Dr. B. K. Goyal 1981 Eminent cardiologist
11 Sunil Dutt 1982 Actor
12 Dr. Trimbak Krishna Tope[1] 1988 Former Principal (GLC), Former Vice-Chancellor (Mumbai University), Constitutional Expert
13 Homi Sethna 1991 Ex-Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of India
14 Fakhruddin T. Khorakiwala 1993 Businessman
15 Sunil Gavaskar 1995 Cricketer
16 Subir Kumar Choudhury 1996 Businessman
17 Usha Kiran 1997[2] Actress
18 Augustine Pinto 2000
19 Kiran Shantaram 2002, 2003 Filmmaker
20 Jagannathrao Hegde 2004[3] Dentist
21 Vijaypat Singhania 2006

See also

References

  1. http://www.busybeeforever.com/viewart.asp?section=roundandabout&filename=bombay917200442901.xml&subsec=bombay
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