Prime Minister condoles passing away of eminent jurist Justice Krishna Iyer

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condoled the passing away of Justice Krishna Iyer.

In his condolence message sent on Twitter, Prime Modi described Justice Iyer as a "Fine lawyer, eminent jurist, incredible philosopher and above all a phenomenal human being. I bow to Justice Krishna Iyer. My association with Justice Krishna Iyer was special. My mind goes back to our conversations and the insightful letters he would write to me. Whenever I would meet or talk to him, I would find him full of enthusiasm, always talking about the well-being of India. A remarkable man!

May Justice Krishna Iyer's soul attain eternal peace. My thoughts are with his family during this moment of immense sadness", the Prime Minister said.

 

The eminent jurist and former Supreme Court judge passed away at a private hospital in Kochi around 3.30 p.m. on Thursday. He died due to renal and cardiac failure, hospital sources said.

He was hospitalised for a fortnight.

Justice Iyer, known for his forthright views, turned 100 recently. He was sworn in as the judge of the Supreme Court on July 17, 1973 and retired at the age of 65 on November 14, 1980.

Born to a leading criminal lawyer V.V. Rama Ayyar in 1915 in Thalassery, Justice Iyer had his education at the Basel Mission School, Thalassery, Victoria College, Palakkad, Annamalai University and Madras Law College.

After starting his legal practice in 1937 under his father in the Thalassery courts, he used to appear for workers and peasants in several agrarian struggle-related cases in his early years of practice.

He became a member of the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1952. He held portfolios such as law, justice, home, irrigation, power, prisons, social welfare and inland navigation in the first Communist government in Kerala headed by E.M.S. Namboodiripad that came to power in 1957.

He was instrumental in passing several pieces of people-oriented legislations during his tenure as minister in the Communist government.

He resumed his legal practice in August 1959 and threw himself into the legal profession after he lost the 1965 Assembly election.

He was appointed a judge of the Kerala High Court on July 2, 1968. He was elevated as Judge of the Supreme Court on July 17, 1973, and retired on November, 14, 1980. He served as a Member of the Law Commission from 1971 to 1973.

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