Brief remembrance about one of the rarest of the rare Judges of excellence

Justice. J.S Verma

By Justice V.R krishna Iyer

Jagdish Sharan Verma was one of the greatest Chief Justices of India.  He was more than a judge and will be remembered for a hundred great things in which he was involved.  He comes from Madhya Pradesh as a distinguished lawyer was elevated as Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh and also of the Rajasthan High Court.  He was responsible for the judicial promotion of a collegium which in my view was an institution of doubtful value.  I like him most not for his collegium judgments but for making a historic and creative contribution on enunciating principles of judicial good behaviour.  Whenever judicial good behaviour was under question the values formulated by J.S. Verma were the hallmark authoritatively ever lay down.  He stood for judicial accountability and headed many Commissions on divergent aspects of judicial conduct and public life.  Beyond his judicial career Justice J.S. Verma’s reports on other dimensions of enquiry where he was chosen to be Chairman makes this great judge one of the finest members of the Indian judiciary.  I have had occasion to meet him quite often and admired him for his integrity fearless and frank opinions and for above all for formulation of what good judicial behaviour should be.  In my humble view Justice Verma excelled most judges who sat on the Supreme Court in being a model judge ever ready to serve public causes whenever required by the Republic of India.  Great J.S. Verma, I salute you though posthumously for your sublime achievements throughout your marvellous career on the Supreme Court Bench.


(V.R krishna Iyer, eminent jurist, is a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India)