NEW DELHI — Former Chief Justice of India Aziz Mushabber Ahmadi, populary known as AM Ahmadi, passed away on Thursday at his home in New Delhi at the age of 91. Justice Ahmadi served as the Chief Justice of India from 25th October, 1994, till his retirement on 24th March, 1997.
AM Ahmadi was the third Muslim ever to become the Chief Justice of India after Justice M. Hidayatullah (1968-70) and Justice Hameedullah Beg (1977-1978) who served as Chief Justices of India.
After Justice Ahmadi’s retirement, Justice Altamas Kabir served as the Chief Justice of India from September 29, 2012 to July 18, 2013.
Having begun his judicial career as a City Civil and Session Court judge in Ahmedabad, Ahmadi was the only Chief Justice of India who started at the very lowest rank to rise to the highest position of the Indian judiciary.
Justice Ahmadi was a felicitated jurist not only in India but across the world. He was invited by various international organisations, including UNO and World Bank to lead special projects. He was the recipient of honors from highly reputable legal institutions such as American Inn of Laws and Middle Temple Inn of Honorable Society of Middle Temple, London.
Apart from receiving the degree of Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) from six of the most reputable Indian universities, he was the author of numerous path breaking judgements. His expertise was wide ranging from constitutional law to human rights, freedom of speech, criminal, taxation, centre-state and interstate relations. He was also the Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University.
A man of principles, he did not shy away from controversial judgements. He dissented in the Judges’ case, wrote a separate judgement in the Bommai’s case, passed the midnight judgement against General Vaidya’s assassins and formed a part of the minority in a judgement relating to Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act to be unconstitutional.
Apart from being one of the longest serving Chief Justices of India, he also shouldered the responsibility of heading various Commissions and was contributing actively in the field of Arbitrations till the end of his life. — IANS (Inpus added)
