Sujata Manohar
Encyclopedia
Justice Sujata Manohar is an Indian judge and a member of the National Human Rights Commission of India.
Ms. Manohar was born into a family with a strong legal background - her father would later become the first Chief Justice of the High Court of Gujarat. She graduated from Elphinstone College
, Bombay, and then went to Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
where she read Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
After Oxford, she was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn
having simultaneously passed all papers in Parts 1 & 2 of the Bar Exam. She returned to India where she began practice in 1958 on the original side of the High Court of Bombay. She dealt primarily with commercial matters, but also took many family law cases under legal aid schemes. This was before India had a formal state legal aid programme, so she voluntarily associated herself with over 30 non-governmental organisations.
After around 20 years of practice, which included a substantial amount of public interest and pro-bono work, she was appointed a judge of the High Court of Bombay in 1978, the first woman judge of that court. In 1994, she was appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay, again, the first woman to hold that post. In 1994, after 16 years as a High Court judge, she was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of India
, the highest Indian court, from which post she retired in 1999.
As a judge, she took a strongly independent stance, defending the rule of law against political and public pressures. In one case, she was called upon to decide on the constitutionality of one aspect of India's affirmative action programme. The government of the day proposed to require Universities to implement a system of quotas for admission to research degrees. This meant that available places would be parcelled out to students based on their caste and religion, not just on their merit. Justice Manohar ruled this unconstitutional, despite a strong backlash from certain interest groups, who, in a show of public umbrage, burnt her in effigy.
After her retirement, she was appointed to the National Human Rights Commission, a post she continues to hold, and is a patron of the Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal
.
Ms. Manohar was born into a family with a strong legal background - her father would later become the first Chief Justice of the High Court of Gujarat. She graduated from Elphinstone College
Elphinstone College
Elphinstone College is an institution of higher education affiliated to the University of Mumbai. Established in 1856, it is one of the oldest colleges of the University of Mumbai. It was exalted as a prestigious seat of learning during the British Raj and is generally observed for its vibrant alumni...
, Bombay, and then went to Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
where she read Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
After Oxford, she was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
having simultaneously passed all papers in Parts 1 & 2 of the Bar Exam. She returned to India where she began practice in 1958 on the original side of the High Court of Bombay. She dealt primarily with commercial matters, but also took many family law cases under legal aid schemes. This was before India had a formal state legal aid programme, so she voluntarily associated herself with over 30 non-governmental organisations.
After around 20 years of practice, which included a substantial amount of public interest and pro-bono work, she was appointed a judge of the High Court of Bombay in 1978, the first woman judge of that court. In 1994, she was appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay, again, the first woman to hold that post. In 1994, after 16 years as a High Court judge, she was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
, the highest Indian court, from which post she retired in 1999.
As a judge, she took a strongly independent stance, defending the rule of law against political and public pressures. In one case, she was called upon to decide on the constitutionality of one aspect of India's affirmative action programme. The government of the day proposed to require Universities to implement a system of quotas for admission to research degrees. This meant that available places would be parcelled out to students based on their caste and religion, not just on their merit. Justice Manohar ruled this unconstitutional, despite a strong backlash from certain interest groups, who, in a show of public umbrage, burnt her in effigy.
After her retirement, she was appointed to the National Human Rights Commission, a post she continues to hold, and is a patron of the Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal
Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal
The Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal is a postgraduate-edited international and comparative law journal from the University of Oxford Faculty of Law, covering the study of legal trends and developments within and between Commonwealth jurisdictions.-Content:The journal includes articles,...
.