Anjali Chaturvedi : An Introduction
Judge Chaturvedi comes from a distinguished family with strong connections to both law and public service. She was born in Chhindwara and raised in Nagpur, with her father, (Late) Adv. Girish Chaubey, serving as the Assistant Solicitor-General of India at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court. Her father was highly respected, while her maternal uncle, (Late) Padma Shri Dr. Bal Swaroop Chaubey, was renowned as the “Supreme Court of Medicine.” Her paternal uncle, Dr. Satish Chaturvedi, served as a Cabinet Minister in Maharashtra. Her husband, Adv. Anurag Chaturvedi, is a practicing advocate in Kolkata, having also served as a judge in the Consumer Court. Her father-in-law, Mr. K.C. Chaturvedi, was a fighter pilot and later an Honorary Magistrate.
Judge Chaturvedi began her legal career in Nagpur after completing her B.Com. and LL.B., but she moved to Kolkata in 1996 following her marriage. Despite being new to the city and its culture, she was appointed as a Judge in the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Kolkata, in 2000, becoming the first woman in her community to become a judge and the first woman from her village to hold such a position. She held this role until 2005, attending consumer awareness programs and arbitrating high-profile disputes, gaining recognition in the Department of Consumer Affairs.
In 2005, due to family obligations—her ailing mother-in-law and young son—she declined a transfer and returned to legal practice alongside her husband in Kolkata. Seventeen years later, with her son now grown and other family responsibilities lessened, she was reappointed as a Judge in the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in West Bengal. This return marked her re-entry into a role with more significant powers, reflecting the evolution from “Forum” to “Commission.”
Currently, Judge Chaturvedi is balancing her demanding role as a judge with her family responsibilities, demonstrating resilience and dedication to her career while being a supportive family member.
Judge Chaturvedi has excelled in legal practice and judgeship. From 1992 to 1996, she argued various cases, including civil suits, criminal matters, and tenancy disputes, at the Nagpur High Court. She worked alongside prominent legal figures who later became judges and chief justices.
In her first judgeship (2000-2005), she became the first woman from the Chaturvedi community to hold this role and contributed to amending the Consumer Protection Act. She also arbitrated a major dispute with M.M.T.C., Kolkata.
After a hiatus in practice (2005-2022), she returned to the bench in 2022, where she played a key role in clarifying consumer commission jurisdictions and improving consumer rights awareness.