Palanisamy Sathasivam: The Former Chief Justice of India

Justice Palanisamy Sathasivam was born on 27th April 1949 in Tamil Nadu. After his retirement, he was named the 21st Governor of Kerala from September 5, 2014, until September 4, 2019, following his retirement from the judiciary. After M. Patanjali Sastri, Sathasivam is the second judge from Tamil Nadu to hold the position of CJI.

Moreover, he is the only former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to be chosen as a state governor. He is the first Kerala Governor to be chosen by the Narendra Modi administration. During his seven years in the Supreme Court, he was involved in important disputes involving voting rights and human rights. He was preceded by Justice Altamas Kabir and succeeded by Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha.

Early Life and Education

He was born in Kadappanallur, Tamil Nadu. He earned his Bachelor Degree in Arts from Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College in Sivakasi and went on to graduate from Government Law College in Chennai.

Career

Justice Palanisamy Sathasivam began his legal career during the following time period −

• On July 25, 1973, Sathasivam enrolled in Madras to become a lawyer.

• The Madras High Court then assigned him to the position of special government pleader and afterwards to that of additional government pleader.

• On January 8, 1996, he was appointed as a permanent judge of the Madras High Court.

• On April 20, 2007, he was moved to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

• On August 21, 2007, he was promoted to the position of Supreme Court Judge.

• He presided over the General Council of the Gujarat National Law University while serving as chief judge.

• In August 2014, he took over Sheila Dikshit's position as Kerala's governor.

Fact	Detail
Name	Palanisamy Sathasivam
Date of Birth	27th April 1949
Alma Matar	University of Madras, Madurai Kamaraj University
Official Tenure	19th July 2013 – 26th April 2014
President	Pranab Mukherjee
Preceded	Altamas Kabir
Succeeded	Rajendra Mal Lodha
As Judge	Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge of the Madras High Court Chief Justice of India

Notable Judgement

The notable judgements are −

People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) vs. Union of India

In the present case, the Election ballots must include the "None of the Above" (NOTA) option, according to the Court. Speaking for the bench, Judge Sathasiva acknowledged that voters should have the option of not supporting any candidates and expressing their displeasure to the political parties. The political parties would then field stronger candidates as a result.

Resurgence India vs. Election Commission of India

In another significant election-related case, Judge Sathasivam's panel mandated that Lok Sabha nominees complete the nomination form entirely and without any gaps. The court ruled that any incomplete application would be rejected, acknowledging the right of voters to information about the candidates they chose.

Safai Karamchari Andolan and Ors. vs. Union of India

The Court recognised manual scavenging as a practise that upheld untouchability and infringed basic rights in the present case. The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Building of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993, was ordered by the court to be put into effect, and it also established rules for compensating or rehabilitating manual scavengers. The Indian Railways were ordered by the Court to stop manually scouring railroad tracks.

Union of India & Anr. vs. National Federation of the Blind

The Supreme Court imposed a 3% horizontal reservation for people with disabilities in government employment in the case. The Court additionally explained that reservations for people with impairments would not be subject to the 50% reservation limitation restriction.

He had delivered total 338 judgements during his seven years’ tenure in the Supreme Court.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the meaning of constitutional bench?

Ans. A Bench of at least five judges must resolve "any issue presenting a serious point of law as to the interpretation of the Constitution" in accordance with Article 145(3). Such five judges bench is known as constitutional bench.

Q2. What is a 3 judge bench called?

Ans. Division benches are benches with two or three judges on them. According to the Supreme Court Rules, the Chief Justice of India is given the authority to appoint benches as part of his administrative duties.

Q3. Why is a judge called a bench?

Ans. The term's historical origins are related to the fact that judges used to preside over courts while seated on long benches or chairs that were either freestanding or against a wall. The bench is often an elevated desk area where the judge can see and be seen by everyone else in the courtroom.