India, June 3 -- In a historic first for the higher judiciary, four high courts across the country are set to simultaneously have women chief justices after the Union government on Tuesday notified the appointment of Sikkim High Court judge Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai as the next chief justice of the Patna High Court.

Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal announced the appointment through a post on X. Justice Rai will succeed Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo, who demits office as chief justice of the Patna High Court on June 4.

The notification comes days after the Supreme Court collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, recommended Justice Rai's appointment on May 22.

With Justice Rai's appointment, Indian high courts will, for ...