Former Chief Justice of India, AM Ahmadi passed away at the age of 90. He was the 31st Chief Justice of India, serving from October 1994 to March 1997.
Born on 22 February 1932 in Gujarat, Ahmadi graduated from Gujarat University and later pursued his LL.M from the University of California. He started his legal career in the Ahmedabad High Court in 1954 and was appointed as a judge of the Gujarat High Court in 1968.
In 1985, Ahmadi was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court and later went on to become a judge of the Supreme Court of India in 1988. He served as the Chief Justice of India from October 1994 to March 1997, during which time he was involved in several landmark judgments.
During his tenure as Chief Justice of India, Ahmadi was known for his emphasis on the independence of the judiciary and the need for judicial accountability. He was also known for his contribution to the development of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and his efforts to promote legal aid.
After retiring from the Supreme Court in 1997, Ahmadi served as the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission from 1999 to 2003. He also served as a member of the International Court of Justice in The Hague from 2002 to 2006.
Ahmadi was widely respected in the legal community for his knowledge, integrity, and commitment to justice. His judgments were known for their clarity and for the importance he placed on human rights and the rule of law.
Tributes have poured in from across the legal fraternity in India following his passing. Current Chief Justice of India, NV Ramana, expressed his condolences, saying that Ahmadi’s “contribution to the growth of the Indian judiciary will always be remembered with gratitude.”
Former Attorney General of India, Soli Sorabjee, also paid tribute, calling Ahmadi a “great judge” and a “fine human being.” Sorabjee praised Ahmadi for his “clarity of thought, his commitment to the rule of law, and his concern for human rights.”
Ahmadi’s passing is a great loss to the Indian legal community and to the country as a whole. He will be remembered as a great jurist who dedicated his life to the pursuit of justice and the protection of human rights.