New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS): Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana was Monday sworn in the new chief justice of the Delhi High Court.

Justice Ramana, 56, who was a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, will succeed Chief Justice D. Murugesan, who retired in June. Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed has been the acting chief justice since then.

Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung administered the oath of office to Justice Ramana at a ceremony at Raj Niwas.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and her cabinet colleagues, senior members of the judiciary including high court judges, officers of the Delhi government and other officials were present at the swearing-in ceremony.

Justice Ramana was appointed as a permanent judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on June 27, 2000. He had enrolled as an advocate in February 1983 and has practiced in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, central and state administrative tribunals and the Supreme Court.

He holds specialisation in constitutional, criminal, service and inter-state river laws.

Born in an agricultural family on Aug 27, 1957, in Ponnavaram village of Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district, Justice Ramana was also the president of the Andhra Pradesh Judicial Academy.