Gangtok, Sept. 30: Ananda Prakash Subba has become the first Sikkimese to be elevated to the post of high court judge.

His appointment will complete the three-judge bench in the court for the first time in over two decades.

At present, apart from Chief Justice R.K. Patra, the other sitting judge is Justice N. Surjyamani Singh.

Subba was appointed judge through a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique announced on Tuesday.

The order will come into effect from the date he assumes charge.

High court judges in the state are appointed either from the bar or the judicial service.

Judges have been appointed from the bar like the former Justice, late Anup Deb, who had worked in Sikkim as a lawyer.

But this is the first time in the past 29 years that someone has been selected judge from the Sikkim Judicial Service.

Fifty-six-year-old Subba has been a member of the Sikkim Judicial Service for nearly 28 years. He began his career as a civil judge and was last serving as the district and sessions judge (east and north).

Now that the department of justice has announced the appointment, Subba is expected to be sworn in by the Governor in a couple of days, sources said.