Guwahati: Former Chief Justice of India Ramesh Chandra Lahoti has passed away on Wednesday evening in a Delhi hospital. He was 81 years old when he died.
Justice Lohati was born on November 1, 1940, and enrolled as an advocate in 1962 after joining the Bar in Guna district in 1960.
In April 1977, he was appointed as a district and sessions judge after being recruited directly from the bar to the State Higher Judicial Service.
After a year on the job, Justice Lahoti resigned in May 1978 and returned to the bar, concentrating his practise in the High Court.
He was appointed as an additional judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on May 3, 1988 and on August 4, 1988, he was promoted to permanent judge.
He was transferred to the Delhi High Court on February 7, 1994 and on December 9, 1998, he was appointed as a Supreme Court judge.
Justice Lohati was appointed as India’s 35th chief justice on June 1, 2004. On November 1, 2005, he announced his retirement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on Justice Lahoti’s death, praising his contributions to the judiciary and delivering prompt justice for the poor.
Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said, “Anguished by the passing away of former CJI RC Lahoti Ji. He will be remembered for his contributions to the judiciary and emphasis on ensuring speedy justice to the underprivileged. Condolences to his family and well-wishers. Om Shanti.”
Various dignitaries have also begun to express their condolences.
“Saddened to hear the passing away of Shri RC Lahoti, former Chief Justice of India. He rose from a humble background and reached the highest position of our country’s judiciary because of his ability, knowledge and wisdom,” Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted.
Justice Lahoti was one of the best chief justices, according to Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai, vice president of the Supreme Court Bar Association.
“Former Chief Justice of India Justice RC Lahoti is no more. He was one of the finest Chiefs I had ever known. May his soul rest in peace,” he tweeted.