Introduction

Justice VR Krishna Iyer (1915-2014) was a multifaceted character with matchless characteristics
of judgeship and is regularly alluded to as a still, small voice guardian of justice in India. He was
at the Bench of the Supreme Court for a residency of right around eight years where he improved
the Indian justice system and went to bat for poor people and oppressed.

As a productive writer, he wrote different books, articles and conveyed numerous renowned
talks. His way of composing decisions was incomparable and his immense information and order
over the language reflected in them. Justice Iyer's commitment to the advancement of the Indian
jurisprudence makes him probably the best judge ever.

His Criminal Past

Route back, in 1948, as a legal counselor he had challenged actual demonstrations of torment by
the Kerala police; it was then a recognized strategy for custodial cross examination. For this, he
was charge-sheeted, the charge being 'giving legal help to socialists'. He was seen as liable and
detained for a month on this entirely manufactured charge.

His Quasi-Criminal Past

His semi-criminal past was when, not long after retirement, he was pulled up for criminal hatred
by his own Kerala High Court for comments, for example, "our entire judicial methodology has a
specific autonomy from all edified behaviour...."

Just a Krishna Iyer could state this and just a Krishna Iyer might have been excused as he seemed
to be.

In the judgment of the Kerala High Court, it was said that 'remarks made by him are not of an
individual who is abusive or who needs to bring into offensiveness the judicial system of this
nation yet just of one who was urging the people for progressive change in the standpoint
concerning issues of the judiciary'.

His Political Past

His political past started when he was chosen for the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1952, from
Thalassery, as a non-party, autonomous applicant, in the principal socialist government in Kerala
headed by EMS Namboodiripad. He was delegated clergyman of law, justice, home, water
system, power, penitentiaries, social government assistance, and inland route (a significant
stunning mix).

His Professional Career In The High Court

He paid his life-membership, was enlisted by the then Secretary of the Bar – CK Sivasankara
Panicker, (later Kerala's Advocate General); he was the father of Justice KS Radhakrishan whom
you just heard.

Be that as it may, when Krishna Iyer's name went up to the Bar Committee for endorsement, the
Committee of the Kerala High Court Bar Association thought it fit to dismiss him since the
recently selected Member was (as they put it) "an affirmed socialist."

This sparkler beginning of a legal vocation in the High Court is something of a record -
approaching it is a book distributed a year ago by resigned Justice John Paul Stevens of the U.S.
Supreme Court. Resigning from the court at age 92, he distributed at age 96 his now-most recent
book on the U.S. Constitution named 'Six Amendments – why and when we should change the
Constitution'.

Chief Justice of the People’s Court of India

Krishna Iyer's memory was huge even at his mature age. In his insights delivered in Cochin
when he was 99, Justice Krishna Iyer recalled a grave wrong (of long years back) never really
Advocate Madhav Reddy of Andhra Pradesh. After his profession as a judge, including several
years as Chief Justice of Bombay, Madhav Reddy after retirement contended a case under the
watchful eye of the Supreme Court of India, and I presently quote from the 'Musings...'

Listen cautiously to this – it is Krishna Iyer's prosecution of two boss justices of India – (both
famous). Just a Krishna Iyer could pull it off unafraid of contradiction or judgment.

Post-retirement as Judge

Post-retirement as Judge (after November 1980) Krishna Iyer had gotten progressively
associated with public issues (never exclusive issues), indeed he turned into the heart of his
judicial brethren over a significant time span. When anything turned out badly in the judiciary,
particularly the higher judiciary – the to some degree vacillating yet the harsh voice of integrity
from far away from Kerala – was heard by the whole gang. It resonated all through the nation.

This was on the grounds that after retirement he was the uncrowned Chief Justice of the People's
Court of India – a title he gladly held with unique excellence till he passed on in December 2014.

This title was never authoritatively presented on him. He procured it by famous praise – He was
the nation's Super Judge, even after he had resigned.

As a judge, he had two standout characteristics – intently similar to his English partner Lord
Denning – a unique and imaginative brain and a caring heart. If at any time inventive decisions
are allowed to be licensed Lord Denning in England and Krishna Iyer in India would be the
judges holding the biggest number (of such licenses).

Critic of Justice Krishna Iyer’s language

To the pundits of his style, D.A. Desai said of Iyer's language, "It isn't the language of the
individuals who acclaim straightforwardness in language because of their powerlessness to
appreciate the tremendous territory of the English word reference." Professor Richard Field of
the Harvard Law School approved the semantic adventurism of Felix Frankfurter, as Associate
Justice of the United States Supreme Court, when he stated, "We don't denounce the striking
expression,/The intellectual grit,/That give judicial mayonnaise/A bit of Angostura." Justice
Michael Kirby of the Australian High Court depicted Iyer as "an artist writing in composition." I
can't concur, for Iyer didn't compose his decisions, he formed them.

His Standing for Fundamental Rights

In Som Prakash Rekhi v. Union Of India and Anr, he extended the meaning of state for
upholding the key rights and held as under: "The end is flawless that on the off chance that the
corporate body is yet an 'instrumentality or organization' of Government, at that point Part III
will hamper its tasks. It is a case of semi legislative creatures, not of non-State elements. We
have no delay to hold that where the science of the corporate body answers the trial of 'State'
above delineated it goes in close vicinity to the definition in Art. 12. In our sacred plan where the
ordering statures have a place with the public area of the public economy, to give pardon to
government organizations and their kind from Part III might be risky. The court can't scheme at a
cycle which in the end makes essential rights as uncommon as 'roses in December, ice in June'."

Few of his famous Judgments

 Liquor Ban - In PN Kaushal Etc v. Union of India, while managing writ petitions
documented contrary to a standard announcing a two-day ban on the offer of liquor,
Justice Iyer opened the judgment.
 Social Justice - Justice Iyer's disposition towards an assortment of issues was
unsurprising. On the off chance that it was a work matter, his feelings would consistently
be with the laborers. In lethal mishap cases, Justice Iyer was supportive of severe
obligation. In State of Haryana v. Darshana Devi, Justice Iyer excused the uncommon
leave request documented by the State of Haryana.
 Regard for Personal Liberty - His profound and withstanding regard forever and freedom
is reflected in large numbers of his decisions. He was constantly worried for detainees
and their entitlement to life. In Prem Shankar Shukla v. Delhi Administration, he decided
that cuffing of under-preliminary detainees is reasonable just in excellent circumstances.
 Bail or Jail? - In Gudikanti Narasimhulu v. High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Justice Iyer
opened his request with the fraud: "Bail or Jail?" and held: "Weighty bail from helpless
man is clearly off-base. Destitution is society's malady and compassion, not harshness, is
the judicial reaction."
 Representing Fundamental Right - In Som Prakash Rekhi v. Union Of India and Anr, he
extended the meaning of state for authorizing the major rights.
An Appeal to Parliament

In his article named "Who will judge the judges?" distributed by The Hindu, Justice Iyer made an
appeal to Parliament in the accompanying words: "Parliament should awaken and actualize
glasnost and perestroika in the judiciary. For the sake of freedom, we can't have judicial
absolutism and oppression."

Conclusion

I figure that for the judges who presented with him, and for those advocates who showed up
before him, Krishna Iyer will consistently remain The Super Judge.

Not at all like any judge previously or after him Krishna Iyer was a man with a past – he had a
criminal past, a semi criminal past and furthermore a political past.

Justice V R Krishna Iyer has given to the next world. He scored a century. He was unwell in
body in spite of the fact that his was, as usual, dauntless.

His renowned Judgment which enlivened me was of the CIT v. T.N. Aravinda Reddy (1979)
case. Created by Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer, the judgment is unadulterated workmanship. It is
around two pages in length and is writing that plays with verse. Take, for example, the
accompanying: "The implication of an expression of plural semantic shades may, in a given
book, rely upon the weight of the unique situation or other indicia. Missing such convincing
change of sense, the discourse of the lay is likewise the language of the law." Thus, many pages
in reading material on the standards of legal translation are mystically decreased to two
sentences.