The Hindu : Kirpal sworn in CJI

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Tuesday, May 07, 2002

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Kirpal sworn in CJI

By J. Venkatesan

The President, K.R. Narayanan, flanked by the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and Justice B. N. Kirpal, who was sworn in the Chief Justice of India at a function in the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday. Photo: V Sudershan

NEW DELHI MAY 6. Justice Bhupinder Nath Kirpal, the seniormost Judge of the Supreme Court, was today sworn-in the 31st Chief Justice of India (CJI). Mr. Justice Kirpal succeeds Justice S.P. Bharucha who retired on Sunday. He is due to retire on November 7 after a six month tenure.

The President, K.R. Narayanan, administered the oath of office to Mr. Justice Kirpal at a brief ceremony held at the Ashoka Hall in the Rashtrapati Bhavan here today.

The outgoing CJI, Mr. Justice Bharucha, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani, the Law Minister, Arun Jaitley and other Cabinet Ministers, the Attorney- General, Soli Sorabjee, the former and present Supreme Court and High Court Judges and eminent lawyers attended the function.

Mr. Justice Kirpal was born on November 8, 1937. Starting his career as a Pleader in 1961, he was appointed an Additional Judge of the Delhi High Court on November 20, 1979 and a permanent Judge on November 19, 1983. He was elevated as the Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court on December 14, 1993 and appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court on September 11, 1995.

As a Member of the Supreme Court Bench, Mr. Justice Kirpal had rendered several landmark judgments. In the BALCO disinvestment case, Mr. Justice Kirpal held that courts could not go into the Government's economic policy decisions and upheld the Centre's sale of 51 per cent of the shares of BALCO to Sterlite Industries.

Recently in the Ayodhya case, he declined the Centre's request to allow the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to perform "shila dhan" or `shila puja' in the "undisputed site" and made it clear that no puja of any kind should be permitted in the entire acquired land, whether `disputed' or `undisputed' site.

In the `CNG case', with a view to protecting the environment in Delhi, Mr. Justice Kirpal was firm on the court's earlier direction that all commercial transport vehicles should be converted into the single CNG (compressed natural gas) fuel mode. Mr. Justice Kirpal is now heading a 11-Judge Bench which is hearing 11 questions relating to the rights of the "minorities" and `non-minorities' to establish and administer educational institutions.

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Four CJs in a year

For the first time in the 52 year history of the Supreme Court, it will have four Chief Justices adorning the office in a single year. Mr. Justice S.P. Bharucha, who became the CJI on November 1, 2001, retired on Sunday.

Mr. Justice Kirpal, who was sworn-in the CJI today, will retire on November 7.

On November 8, Justice G.B. Pattanaik will become the third CJI of this year and on his retirement on December 18, Mr. Justice V.N. Khare will become the fourth CJI on December 19 and he will have a 16-month tenure till May 2, 2004.

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