G. S. Singhvi Explained

G.S. Singhvi
Office:Judge of the Supreme Court of India
Term Start:12 November 2007
Term End:12 December 2013 [1]
Appointer:Pratibha Patil
Office2:Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court
Term Start2:27 November 2005
Term End2:11 November 2007
Office3:Judge of the Gujarat High Court
Term Start3:28 February 2005
Term End3:26 November 2005
Birth Date:12 December 1948
Birth Place:Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Alma Mater:Rajasthan University

G.S. Singhvi (born 12 December 1948) is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India. He retired on 11 December 2013.[2]

Early life and education

Singhvi was born at Jodhpur, Rajasthan on 12 December 1948. He graduated in 1968 from Jodhpur University and earned Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree in 1971 from Rajasthan University with gold medal.[2]

Career

Singhvi practised in Rajasthan High Court, mainly in Constitutional Law.[2]

He became a judge of the Rajasthan High Court on 20 July 1990. was transferred to Punjab and Haryana High Court on 28 April 1994 and then to the Gujarat High Court on 28 February 2005.[2]

He was elevated to the post of Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on 27 November 2005. He became a judge of Supreme Court of India on 12 November 2007.[2]

Notable judgements

2G spectrum case

See main article: 2G spectrum case.

On 2 February 2012, a bench composed of Justice Singhvi and Justice AK Ganguly quashed 122 2G licenses issued in the year 2008 by A. Raja, then Union Telecom Minister terming them as "unconstitutional and arbitrary".[3] [4]

Vehicle beacon lights case

Justice Singhvi headed a bench of Supreme Court dealing with abuse of vehicle beacon lights. During the hearings, the bench said, "A judge becomes hourable (sic) by his judgments and not by using red beacon at the top of his official car." The bench ordered all the governments to take steps to limit the list of dignitaries entitled to use red beacon with siren on their official cars.[5]

Suresh Kumar Koushal v. Naz Foundation

See main article: Suresh Kumar Koushal v. Naz Foundation.

A bench of Justice Singhvi and Justice S. J. Mukhopadhaya has upheld the Section 377 of India's penal code bans "sex against the order of nature", which is widely interpreted to mean homosexual sex.[6] [7] [8] The judges stated that "a miniscule [sic] fraction of the country's population constitutes lesbians, gays, bisexuals or transgenders" and that the High Court had erroneously relied upon international precedents "in its anxiety to protect the so-called rights of LGBT persons". The United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay[9] voiced her disappointment at the re-criminalization of consensual same-sex relationships in India, calling it "a significant step backwards" for the country and UN chief Ban Ki-moon[10] stressed on the need for equality and opposed any discrimination against lesbians, gays and bisexuals.[11]

In the Puttaswamy v. Union of India case, the 9-judge bench commented on the verdict that the size of the population should have no barring on the protection of fundamental rights. The Bench commented that the "so-called rights" implies an illusion, but the claims were grounded in the Constitution.[12] Subsequently, the judgement was overturned by a 5-judge constitutional bench on 6 September 2018 in Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India.[13]

2011 Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority

In a judgement on 6 July 2011, the bench of Justice Singhvi along with Justice AK Ganguly ordered that entire 156 hectares of land be given back to the robbed farmers. The government had acquired the land for "development" but was handed over to builders for making commercial and residential complexes. The bench imposed a fine of Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) for its illegal act.[14] [15]

Quotes

References

G.S. Singhvi is a part of the selection jury in Mahaveer Awards presented by Bhagwan Mahaveer Awards.[17]

Notes and References

  1. News: Judge Profile. Supreme Court of India website. 21 January 2014.
  2. Web site: Justice G.S. Singhvi – Profile . Supreme Court of India . 13 September 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121230184730/http://www.supremecourtofindia.nic.in/judges/sjud/gssinghvi.htm . 30 December 2012.
  3. News: Supreme Court quashes 122 2G licences awarded in 2008. DNA.
  4. News: SC quashes 122 licences. https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202018/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-02/india/31016262_1_spectrum-licences-2g-spectrum-allotment-case. dead. 29 October 2013. The Times of India. 2 February 2012.
  5. News: Vehicle beacon lights case. https://web.archive.org/web/20130410002430/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-04-07/india/38345401_1_red-beacon-high-court-judges-justice-markandey-katju. dead. 10 April 2013. 7 April 2013. The Times of India. 7 April 2013.
  6. Web site: Justice GS Singhvi, judge who upheld gay sex as a criminal offence, retires as Supreme Court judge. 11 December 2013. DNA India.
  7. Web site: Read the judgement first: Justice Singhvi who restored ban on gay sex. NDTV.com.
  8. Web site: News18.com: CNN-News18 Breaking News India, Latest News Headlines, Live News Updates. https://web.archive.org/web/20131213045435/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/religious-groups-hail-sc-verdict-on-gay-sex-lgbts-outraged/439067-3.html. dead. 2013-12-13. News18.
  9. News: Press Trust of India. 31 January 2015. Press Trust of India. 22 July. The Indian Express. 2014.
  10. Web site: BJP supports decriminalization of homosexuality: Shaina NC. Dhamini. Ratnam. 14 January 2015.
  11. News: Centre moves apex court for review of Section 377 ruling. 21 December 2013. 21 December 2013. The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  12. News: 24 August 2017 . Right to Privacy Judgement . Supreme Court of India . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170828075957/http://sci.gov.in/pdf/LU/ALL%20WP(C)%20No.494%20of%202012%20Right%20to%20Privacy.pdf . 28 August 2017.
  13. Web site: LGBT community expresses shock as Supreme Court rules gay sex illegal, calls it a 'black day'. December 11, 2013. India Today. en. 2019-05-16.
  14. News: Greater Noida farmers get their 'robbed' land back, GNIDA Supreme Court rap. 15 October 2012. DNA (Daily News & Analysis). 6 July 2011.
  15. News: Noida flat buyers must get refund with interest: SC. 15 October 2012. The Indian Express. 13 July 2011.
  16. News: "Our generation has failed the nation" – Justice GS Singhvi . https://archive.today/20130127123500/http://www.lawetalnews.com/article/536/-Our-generation-has-failed-the-nation----Justice-GS-Singhvi.htm . dead . 27 January 2013 . 17 September 2012 . Law et al News . 13 May 2012 .
  17. Web site: Bhagwan Mahaveer Foundation Invites Nominations for 26th Mahaveer Awards Carrying Cash Prize of Rs. 40 Lakhs Across 4 Categories . 2 September 2022 .