Former SC judge Ratnavel Pandian passes away at 89

CHENNAI: Former Supreme Court Judge Justice S Ratnavel Pandian passed away at his Anna Nagar residence in Chennai. He was 89.
Justice Pandian served as a judge of the apex court from December 14, 1988, to December 1994.
Born in 1929, Justice Pandian graduated from Saint Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli. He obtained his law degree from the Madras Law College in 1954.
In 1971, he was appointed as the public prosecutor for the Madras high court.He also served as the advocate-general of the high court and the office of the government pleader for a brief period.
In February 1974, he was elevated as a judge of the high court. From January 18, to January 29, 1988 and from March 13 to December 13, 1988 he served as the acting Chief Justice of the high court.
After his retirement, Justice Pandian was appointed as the chairperson of the National Commission for Backward Classes. He is survived by his five sons and a daughter. One among them, R Subbaiah, is a sitting judge of the the high court. His wife pre-deceased him.
Justice Pandian, as a member of the constitution bench, gave the historic judgement upholding the central government’s decision to provide 27% reservation in jobs for backward communities.
Noting the demise of Justice Pandian is a great loss to the legal fraternity, former advocate-general of Tamil Nadu and senior counsel A L Somayaji said, “He is a judge par excellence. His judgements are more humane and benefited for the upliftment of the society. He upheld the supremacy of the judiciary in judges’ appointment. An excellent human being, honest and a highly principled man.”
He has left indelible imprint as a judge of the Madras high court, the Supreme Court and as the Chairperson of the pay commission, he added.