November 01, 2001
‘7’JUSTICE BHARUCHA TAKES OVER AS CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA
The President administered the oath of office or affirmation to Shri Justice Sam Piroj Bharucha as the new Chief Justice of India at Rashtrapati Bhawan today. The oath was administered in terms of Clause (6) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India read with Form IV in the Third Schedule. With this, Justice Bharucha has assumed the office of the Chief Justice of India in the Supreme Court. He succeeds Shri Justice A.S. Anand who retired on superannuation yesterday evening.
Earlier, on October 10, 2001, the President signed the Warrant of Appointment under Clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India elevating Justice Bharucha, the senior most judge of the Supreme Court to be the Chief Justice of India with effect from November 1, 2001 (Forenoon).
Shri Justice Bharucha, B.Sc., LL.B., was born on May 6, 1937. He was enrolled as an Advocate of the Bombay High Court on July 28, 1960. He practised mainly on the original side of the Bombay High Court. He also appeared in the Supreme Court of India. He was appointed as an Additional Judge in the Bombay High Court on September 19, 1977 and as permanent judge on April 3, 1978. He was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court on November 1, 1991. He was appointed judge of the Supreme Court of India on July 1, 1992. He is due to retire on May 6, 2002.
Shri Bharucha has delivered some landmark judgements relating to (1) withdrawal of case from prosecution under Section 321 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, (2) powers of Parliament under Article 368, (3) significance of freedom of speech and (4) interpretation of Article 164(4) of the Constitution of India.