Former Supreme Court judge S N Phukan passes away

Former Supreme Court Judge and Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh and Odisha High Courts Sailendu Nath Phukan died on Sunday in upper Assam's Jorhat district.

He was 83 and is survived by two sons and as many daughters.

Phukan who was also former Chairman of the Assam Human Rights Commission passed away at a private hospital in Jorhat town, family sources said.

Justice Phukan was associated with several organisations, including Child Care Organisation known as Helpline till the time of his demise, they said.

After obtaining a law degree, Phukan enrolled as an advocate in 1962 and joined the Gauhati High Court Bar in the same year.

He joined the Assam Judicial Service in 1963 and became the Law Secretary and Legal Remembrance of Meghalaya Government in 1970.

Phukan was appointed as permanent Judge of the Gauhati High Court in 1985, transferred to Orissa High Court the next year and then to Himachal Pradesh High Court in 1994, before being appointed as the Chief Justice of that Court the next year, the family sources said.

He was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court in 1999 from where he retired on April 1, 2002.

Phukan's last rites will be performed at the Tarajan Crematorium here on Monday, the family sources added.