Former CJ of Gujarat High Court , Chief Justice of India, acting Guv of Gujarat PN Bhagwati passes away

New Delhi: Former Chief Justice of India, Justice PN Bhagwati, passed away in Delhi today at the age of 95.

P. N. Bhagwati was born in Gujarat. His father was Justice Natwarlal H. Bhagwati, a Supreme Court judge.

Bhagwati began his career practicing at the Bombay High Court. In July 1960, he was appointed a judge of the Gujarat High Court. In September 1967, he was appointed the Chief Justice of that court. On two occasions, he acted (briefly) as Governor of Gujarat (7 December 1967 to 25 December 1967 and 17 March 1973 to 3 April 1973). In July 1973, he was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of India. In August 1985, he became Chief Justice of India.

Justice Bhagwati was the 17th Chief Justice of India. He served from July 12, 1985 to December 20, 1986. He is known for his controversial judgment as part of the bench in the ‘Habeas Corpus case’, during the Emergency under former prime minister Indira Gandhi. In the ADM Jabalpur v. Shivkant Shukla case, he decreed that during the Emergency, a person’s right to not be unlawfully detained can be suspended. He apologised 30 years later for his “act of weakness.”

Justice Bhagwati is the brother of economist Jagdish Bhagwati and neurosurgeon SN Bhagwati. Justice Bhagwati and his wife Prabhavati have three daughters.

Paying tribute to Justice Bhagwati, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in his tweets said: The demise of Justice PN Bhagwati is saddening. He was a stalwart of India’s legal fraternity. My deepest condolences. Justice PN Bhagwati’s remarkable contributions made our judicial system more accessible & gave voice to millions.