The President has
appointed Shri Justice Visheshwar Nath Khare, the senior most
Judge of the Supreme Court, to be the Chief Justice of India with
effect from December 19, 2002 (forenoon). The Warrants of Appointment,
to this effect, was issued yesterday evening by the President,
in exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (2) of Article 124
of the Constitution of India.
Shri Justice V.N.
Khare will succeed Shri Justice Gopal Ballav Pattanaik, who retires
on December 19, 2002.
Justice V.N. Khare
was born at Allahabad on May 2, 1939 in an illustrious family
of lawyers and freedom fighters. A graduate, obtained degree of
law from Allahabad University and was enrolled as an advocate
on November 28, 1961. Took his law training in the chamber of
his father late Shri Bishambar Nath Khare, advocate and uncle
Late Shri S.C. Khare, senior advocate, who was an eminent lawyer
of Uttar Pradesh. Justice Khare in a very short span of time acquired
name and fame in legal profession specializing in civil, writ,
revenue and election matters. Appointed as Chief Standing Counsel
for Uttar Pradesh State Government. He had been the Chancellor’s
Chief Standing counsel for all the universities in Uttar Pradesh
and also counsel for most of the statutory corporations, Government
undertakings and local bodies. On June 25, 1983, he was appointed
as permanent Judge of Allahabad High Court and subsequently also
acted as Acting Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court. On February
2, 1996, Justice Khare was appointed as Chief Justice of Calcutta
High Court and subsequently on March 21, 1997 was elevated as
Judge to Supreme Court.
As a Judge of the
Supreme Court, Justice Khare was party to many important decisions
in the matter of environmental, forests and other public interest
litigations. His majority Constitutional Bench decisions in regard
to levy to tax on inter-State sale, right of pre-emption, majority
opinion in Presidential Reference No. 1 of 2002 arising out of
the order of the Chief Election Commissioner in regard to Gujarat
Election and Judgement in 11 Judges minority decisions are some
of his landmark judgements. Appointed Chief Justice of India on
December 19, 2002, will retire on May 2, 2004.
