The Sheriff of Bombay is an apolitical titular position of authority bestowed for one year on a prominent citizen of

Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second-m ...

. 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 An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance and can be applied to individuals, groups, or organizations. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments, for very formal and state o ...

, the Sheriff ranks just below the

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

. Bombay and

Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...

are the only cities in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

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 Mahadeo may refer to: * Shiva, a Hindu God * Mahadeo Hills in Madhya Pradesh, India * Mahadeo Deole, Mayor of Mumbai (2002 - February 2005) * Mahadeo Govind Ranade Mahadev Govind Ranade (18 January 1842 – 16 January 1901), popularly referre ...

, a city businessman in 1948. His son,

Shantaram Mahadeo Dahanukar Shantaram may refer to any of the following: * V. Shantaram (1901–1990), Indian filmmaker, film producer and actor * ''Shantaram'' (novel), a novel written by Gregory David Roberts * ''Shantaram'' (TV series), a TV series based on the novel of ...

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 A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...

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:

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheriff Of Mumbai Government of Mumbai Titles of national or ethnic leadership

Former Sheriffs

See also

References