By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Justice NV Ramana on Tuesday was appointed the 48th Chief Justice of India by President Ram Nath Kovind. Outgoing CJI Sharad Arvind Bobde, who is retiring on April 23, had recommended Justice Ramana’s name as his successor, which the President duly accepted.
On April 24 the next CJI will be sworn into office and he will have a term till August 26, 2022. Justice Ramana had served as the acting chief justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court and the chief justice of Delhi High Court, before being elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court of India.
Through his judgments, Justice Ramana had echoed for the rights of common citizens of Jammu and Kashmir and had ordered lifting of restrictions on internet in the wake of the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and said that indefinite internet ban in Jammu and Kashmir is not only a violation of the telecom rules but also of the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the Constitution.
He also directed setting up of fast track courts to conduct speedy trial of legislators in all states. Stressing the need to have transparency, Justice Ramana in one of his rulings said that the office of the CJI comes under RTI.
In another ruling, a bench headed by him said the restriction against grant of bail in a stringent law like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 per-se does not oust the ability of Constitutional Courts to grant bail on grounds of violation of a fundamental right like the right to speedy trial.
A constitution bench headed by him also rejected the curative petitions filed by the convicts in the 2012 December gangrape and murder case, finally paving the way for their execution. In November 2019, a bench led by Justice Ramana had ordered floor test for then Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to prove his majority in the House saying there is a “possibility of horse trading” in case of delay.
N V Ramana was born in an agricultural family at the Ponnavaram village in Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna district. Justice Ramana’s focus is also to make law affordable for everyone especially for people coming from poor background.
Restored net in J&K
Through his judgments, Justice Ramana had echoed for the rights of common citizens of J&K and had ordered lifting of restrictions on internet in the wake of the abrogation of Article 370
