Former Gujarat assembly speaker Pardiwala passes away

Ahmedabad

Former Gujarat assembly speaker Barjorji Pardiwala today passed away here due to age-related illness at a city-based private hospital. He was 86.

“Former speaker Barjorji Pardiwala died today due to failure of vital organs in Sterling hospital in the city at the age of 86,” his assistant Ayaz Sheikh said.

His last rites will be conducted at Valsad tomorrow, he said.

Pardiwala, father of Gujarat High Court Justice J B Pardiwala, was also a renowned lawyer in Valsad, he said.

Pardiwala joined the bar at Valsad town of Gujarat in 1955 and practiced for more than 40 years.

He successfully contested election as Congress nominee on Valsad assembly constituency and was made speaker of the seventh state assembly when Madhavsinh Solanki was chief minister for period from December 1989 to March 1990.

Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and Governor O P Kohli have condoled the death of Pardiwala.

“I condole sad demise of former MLA and the former speaker of the Gujarat assembly and also the renowned advocate Barjorji Pardiwala,” Patel said in a statement.

“Shri Barjorji Pardiwla always acted in the interest of public at large and people will remember him for a long time,” Governor O P Kohli said.

PTI