V. N. Khare
Born 28 July 1934 · Uttar Pradesh
Serving as the 33rd Chief Justice of India from 2002 to 2004.
🔔 Add birthday reminderVishweshwar Nath Khare is a retired Indian judge who served as the 33rd Chief Justice of India, from 19 December 2002 to 1 May 2004. He also served as the Chancellor of the Central University of Jharkhand from 2017 to 2023. He was a judge of the Supreme Court of India from 21 March 1997 before he was elevated to the post of Chief Justice.
✨ A detail that surprised us
V. N. Khare played for Uttar Pradesh in the 1958 Ranji Trophy before embarking on his legal career.
1. ⚖️ In 1961, V. N. Khare enrolled as an advocate at the Allahabad High Court, initially focusing on civil, writ, and revenue petitions which laid the foundation for his judicial expertise.
2. 🎓 Born in Allahabad in 1939, Khare was not only a law student at Allahabad University but also represented Uttar Pradesh in the 1958 Ranji Trophy cricket matches, blending sports and law early in life.
3. In 1975, as a young advocate, Khare played a critical role in the legal defense of Indira Gandhi during the electoral malpractices case against Raj Narain, a case pivotal to the declaration of the Emergency in India.
4. ⚖️ On 25 June 1983, Khare was appointed a judge at the Allahabad High Court after serving as Chief Standing Counsel for the Uttar Pradesh government, marking his transition from advocacy to the judiciary.
5. In 1996, Khare was elevated as Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, quickly followed by his appointment to the Supreme Court of India in 1997, where he authored 223 judgments.
6. 🔥 As Chief Justice of India from December 2002 to May 2004, he confronted judicial failures during the 2002 Gujarat violence, notably ordering the Best Bakery case's retrial in Maharashtra to protect victims and witnesses.
7. After retirement, from 2017 to 2023, Khare served as Chancellor of the Central University of Jharkhand, continuing his influence on legal education and governance.
8. ❓ How did Khare’s early cricket career and his involvement in the Emergency-era legal battles shape his approach to justice during his tenure as Chief Justice?
Awards & Honours
- 🏅Padma Vibhushan
🔍 One thing most people don't know
In 1975, Khare was part of the legal team defending Indira Gandhi in a case that led to the only Emergency imposed in India since 1947, highlighting his early involvement in a landmark political-legal event.
🖼️ Through the Years
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📅 The Journey
🗝️ Discoveries
"I found there was complete collusion between the accused and the prosecution in Gujarat, throwing rule of law to the winds. The Supreme Court had to step in to break the collusion to ensure protection to the victims and the witnesses."
— V. N. Khare
🎥 Speeches & Recordings
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📖 Curated Sources
🌱 What changed because of them
Khare’s reopening of the Best Bakery case set a precedent for judicial intervention in politically sensitive violence cases, reinforcing the Supreme Court's role in protecting victims against state collusion. His judgments and leadership during and after the Gujarat riots reshaped public discourse on justice and the rule of law in India. As Chancellor of the Central University of Jharkhand, he influenced higher education governance with his legal acumen.
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