JUSTICE MARKANDEY KATJU (GULZAR OF INDIAN JUDICIARY)
Markandey Katju is the former Chairman, Press Council of India. Prior to his appointment as Chairman, Press Council of India, he served as a Judge at the Supreme Court of India. Before being elevated as a judge to the Supreme Court, he had earlier served as the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, Madras High Court and as acting Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court.
Early life and education
Markandey Katju was born on 20 September 1946 in Lucknow, United Provinces, British India, in a Kashmiri Pandit family. He topped the merit list of the Allahabad University’s LL.B. examination in 1967. He was awarded Honoris Causa a Doctor of Philosophy from Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit University, New Delhi, for his book Mimansa Rules of Interpretation, and a Doctorate of Law from Amity University. He is an Honorary Professor of Law at the National Law University, Delhi and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University, Lucknow. Katju’s background is related to law and politics. His father was S. N. Katju, formerly a Judge of the Allahabad High Court. His grandfather Dr. Kailash Nath Katju, was one of India’s leading lawyers and participated in the country’s freedom movement. Dr. K. N. Katju was the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, the Governor of West Bengal and Odisha, as well as the Union Law, Home and Defence Minister.Katju’s uncle was B.N. Katju, the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. The academic Tilottama Mukherji Tharoor, first wife of Shashi Tharoor, is a cousin to Katju. Her mother was the sister of Katju’s father.
Katju is married to Rupa and has two children, a son and a daughter.
He has a wide range of interests, including Tamil, Sanskrit, Urdu, history, philosophy, science, and sociology, aside from his interest in jurisprudence
Career
Katju started his law practice at the Allahabad High Court in 1970-91 specializing in Labour Law, Taxation and Writ Petitions. He has worked as Standing Counsel, Income Tax Department. He was elevated to the Bench of Allahabad High Court in 1991. He was appointed acting Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court in August 2004, Chief Justice of Madras High Court in November 2004, and Chief Justice of Delhi High Court in October 2005. He was elevated to the Supreme Court of India in April 2006. He retired from this position on 19 September 2011, after serving the Indian judiciary for 20 years.
His courtroom was one of the fastest in the Supreme Court disposing of 100-plus matters in a week. He is variously described as “brilliant”,”bold”,”one of the best”,”a maverick”. His strong belief in judicial restraint has been contrasted with some unconventional opinions he delivered.The contradiction may be partly explained in his own words: “A judge should restrain from challenging policy decisions in economic matters by the Government, though be an activist in cases of personal liberty.”
Katju has served as a Member, International Association of Refugee Law Judges (IARIJ).
He has written several books, which include the following:
- Law in the Scientific Era
- Interpretation of Taxing Statutes
- Mimansa Rules of Interpretation
- Domestic Enquiry
- Justice with Urdu
Some of his articles and speeches are:
- Injustice to Urdu in India, published in the Tribune on 3 August 2008
- Sanskrit as a language of Science, speech delivered in the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore on 13 October 2009
- Kalidas-Ghalib Academy for Mutual Understanding
- The Role of Art, Literature and Media
- Looking back at the Caste System
- The Ideal of Women’s emancipation
- Importance of Liberty and Democracy in India
- Global Economic Scenario
- The Hart-Fuller Debate by Justice Markandey Katju – Judge, Allahabad High Court
- The Role of Media in India
