PM Narendra Modi expresses anguish over death of former Chief Justice of India RC Lahoti

`Anguished by the passing away of former CJI Shri 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,` PM Modi said in a tweet.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (March 24, 2022) expressed anguish over the sudden death of former Chief Justice of India RC Lahoti. In his tweet, Modi acknowledged RC Lahoti’s remarkable contribution to the judiciary. 

PM Modi in a tweet said, “Anguished by the passing away of former CJI Shri 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.”

The former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ramesh Chandra Lahoti died at a hospital in Delhi on Wednesday evening, family sources said. The former CJI was 81 years old.

Justice Lahoti was appointed as the 35th chief justice of India on June 1, 2004. He retired on November 1, 2005.

Born on November 1, 1940, he joined the Bar in Guna district in 1960 and enrolled as an advocate in 1962. He was recruited directly to the bench in April 1977, from the Bar to the State Higher Judicial Service and was appointed as a district and sessions judge. 

After serving in the post for a year, Justice Lohati resigned in May 1978 and returned to the Bar to practice mainly in the High Court. He was appointed an additional judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on May 3, 1988, and made a permanent judge on August 4 the next year.

He was transferred to Delhi High Court on February 7, 1994, and later appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court on December 9, 1998.

(With agency inputs)