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The Chief Justice as Acting Rashtrapathy
by Editor
Cite as : (1969) 2 SCC (Jour) 19
(1) We are proud that after the recent Constitutional amendment, the place of honour is extended to the Chief Justice of India, whenever a vacancy arises as to Presidentship of India with the Vice-President also resigning. His Excellency V. V. Giri was quite popular as acting President which office he filled with great dignity and charm. Since He resigned his office with a desire to stand for election to the Presidential gadi, the mantle has now fallen on Shri M. Hidayatullah, the Chief Justice of India to shoulder the high office of Rashtrapathy pending the results of the ensuing election.
(2) His Excellency M. Hidayatullah has taken his oath of office on 20-7-69 to stand by and uphold the Constitution. We have no doubt that he will do so, a Constitutional savant as he is. He is well known for his erudition in Constitutional Law. He is besides a gentleman of high culture and profound in his knowledge not only in law but also in Humanities and Art. He is simple, lovable and urbane, commanding high reverence from one and all by his dignified bearing. This is indeed a significant occasions as in the Constitutional history of India, Shri M. Hidayatullah is the first sitting Chief Justice who has been called to act as the President of India. We extend to him our special greetings befitting this occasion.
(3) It is a case of double rejoicing for us since with the elevation of Shri M. Hidayatullah as the Acting President, the high duties of the Chief Justice of India has devolved on an eminent Judge and Jurist Shri Justice J. C. Shah. He is to be the next Chief Justice of India but as luck would have it it will be only for a year. So we are doubly glad that he is now the Acting Chief Justice for a period. He adorned the Judgeship of the Supreme Court from 1959 with great distinction. In legal circles his erudition in law is highly rated and his judgments read with all respect. We extend to Chief Justice J. C. Shah our warmest greetings.
(4) As we go to the Press we rejoice in the elevation of the following as Judges of the Supreme Court :
Mr. Justice Ajit Nath Ray.
(Judge of the High Court of Calcutta)
Mr. Justice Jagan Mohan Reddy.
(Chief Justice of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh)
Mr. Justice Inder Dev Dua.
(Chief Justice of the High Court of Delhi)
Extending our warmest greetings to them. We are sure they will contribute a lot towards the development of the Indian Jurisprudence on rational lines.
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