V. R. Krishna Iyer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer
Personal details
Born	(1915-11-15)15 November 1915 Palakkad, Madras Presidency, British India
Died	4 December 2014(2014-12-04) (aged 99) Kochi, Kerala, India
Spouse	Sarada ​ (m. 1941⁠–⁠1974)​
Residences	Kochi, Kerala
Awards	Padma Vibhushan
Autobiography	Wandering in Many Worlds

Justice Vaidyanathapuram Rama Krishna Iyer (born November 15, 1915 – died December 4, 2014) was an important Indian judge. He was known for starting new ideas in law, like judicial activism. This means judges actively work to protect people's rights and make society better.

He also started the legal aid movement in India. This helps poor people get legal help when they can't afford it. Before becoming a judge, he was a politician and a state minister. He was a strong supporter of human rights and social justice. He even went to jail for helping his poor clients. Justice Iyer also cared a lot about the environment. He was a sports fan and wrote many books. In 1999, he received the Padma Vibhushan, a very high award in India. Even today, other judges often refer to his decisions in their own cases.

Early Life and Education

Vaidyanathapuram Rama Ayyar Krishna Iyer was born on November 15, 1915. His family lived in a village called Vaidyanathapuram in Palakkad. This area was part of the Madras State back then. His father, Rama Iyer, was a lawyer, and his mother was Narayani Ammal.

Krishna Iyer was the oldest of seven children. His youngest brother, V. R. Lakshminarayanan, later became a top police officer in Tamil Nadu. From his father, Krishna Iyer learned to care about his community. He also learned to use the law to help people who needed it most.

He went to school at Basel Evangelical Mission Parsi High School, Thalassery. He also studied at Government Victoria College, Palakkad and Annamalai University. He then studied law at Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai. In 1938, he started working as a lawyer with his father in Thalassery. In 1948, he spoke out against police using torture during questioning. Because of this, he was put in jail for a month. They falsely accused him of helping communists.

Career Highlights

Starting as a Lawyer

Iyer became a lawyer in 1938. He began his work in his father's law office in Thalassery, Kerala.

Time in Politics

In 1952, Iyer was chosen to be part of the Madras Legislative Assembly. He was an independent candidate, meaning he didn't belong to a specific political party. He served there until 1956.

In 1957, he ran for elections again in Thalassery. This time, the Communist Party of India supported him. From 1957 to 1959, he was a minister in the government. He was in charge of many important areas. These included law, prisons, electricity, and social welfare.

As a minister, he started many good changes.

• He began legal aid to help poor people get legal advice.
• He made reforms in jails to protect the rights of prisoners.
• He helped set up more courts.
• He created rescue homes for women and children.
• He also helped pass new laws for workers and land.
• He even solved a water dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

When the central government dismissed his government, he went back to being a lawyer in 1959. He ran for election again in 1965 but did not win.

Becoming a Judge

On July 12, 1968, he was appointed a judge of the Kerala High Court. He then became a judge of the Supreme Court of India on July 17, 1973. Some lawyers were not happy about his appointment. They wrote a letter to a newspaper to object.

Work with the Law Commission

From 1971 to 1973, Iyer was a member of the Law Commission of India. This group works to improve laws. While there, he wrote a detailed report. This report helped start the important legal aid movement across the country.

His Legal Ideas

Justice Iyer made big contributions to how constitutional law is understood. He focused on protecting social, political, and civil rights. He was also known for using ideas from literature in his judgments.

Public Interest Cases

Iyer played a key role in public interest litigation (PIL) at the Supreme Court. PILs are cases filed to protect the public's interest, not just one person's. He made it easier for people to bring important social issues to court.

Sometimes, he would even start cases based on letters or postcards sent to the court. This helped bring attention to social problems. Along with Justice P. N. Bhagwati, he introduced PILs, also called "people's involvement" in courts. This new tool allowed people to file cases for groups who couldn't do it themselves. Even today, PILs continue to bring about big changes in people's lives.

During the Emergency Period

In June 1975, a court ruled that Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's election was illegal. It also said she couldn't be in Parliament for six more years. Justice Iyer was one of the judges who heard her appeal in the Supreme Court.

In the case Indira Gandhi v Raj Narain, he decided that she could no longer be a Member of Parliament. However, he said she could still be Prime Minister. He refused to give her an unconditional stay, meaning she couldn't fully ignore the lower court's ruling. The opposition parties saw this as her losing public support. They asked her to resign. The very next day, she declared a state of Emergency in India.

Social Rights Cases

Iyer wrote judgments in many important cases about social rights.

• In Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India, he said that Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which protects life and liberty, should include many social rights.
• In the Ratlam Municipality case, he started a new trend. Judges would leave the courtroom to see the real situation on the ground. This case also helped develop ideas like the "precautionary principle" (taking action to prevent harm), "polluter pays" (those who pollute must pay for cleanup), and "sustainable development" (meeting needs without harming future generations).
• In Muthamma's case, Iyer called for breaking the 'glass ceiling'. This meant ensuring equal opportunities for women in public jobs.

Civil and Political Rights

Iyer made rulings to protect people from police violence. He set rules for bail and for providing legal help to those held by police. He also spoke out against creating special courts just for cases involving politicians.

Iyer believed in justice that helps people improve, rather than just punishing them. He suggested things like meditation in prisons to help reduce repeat offenses. He also ruled against keeping prisoners in solitary confinement (alone in a cell).

He was against the death penalty. He set a rule that it should only be given in the "rarest of rare" cases. In Ediga Anamma v State of Andhra Pradesh, he explained when death sentences could be changed to life imprisonment. He identified reasons that could lessen the punishment.

After Retirement and His Passing

Justice Iyer retired as a judge on November 14, 1980. But he didn't stop working for justice. He continued to speak out and write. He even joined street protests. His home was always open to anyone seeking his help or advice.

In 1987, he ran for President of India as the opposition's candidate. However, R. Venkataraman, the ruling party's candidate, won. In 2002, he investigated the Gujarat riots as part of a group of citizens. In 2009, he led the Kerala Law Reform Commission. He remained active almost until a few weeks before he passed away. He was also involved in many public groups, arts societies, and sports councils.

Justice Iyer passed away on December 4, 2014, at the age of 99. He was cremated with state honors. His wife, Sarada, had passed away before him. She used to listen to him talk about his work. Sometimes, he would even change his mind after hearing her opinion. After his death, his private library was given to the National University of Advanced Legal Studies. It is now called the Justice Krishna Iyer Collection. He is survived by his two sons, Ramesh and Paramesh.

Awards and Honors

Justice Iyer received many awards and honors during his life:

• Soviet Land Nehru Award, 1968.
• Sri. Jehangir Gandhi Medal and Award for Industrial Peace, 1982.
• Distinguished Fellow, Indian Law Institute, New Delhi.
• The Kumarappa – Reckless Award, 1988. (Given by the Indian Society of Criminology)
• Baba Saheb B.R. Ambedkar National Award by the Bharatiya Dalit Sahitya Akademi.
• Ramasramam Award 1992.
• In 1995, the International Bar Association gave him the title of 'Living Legend of Law'. This was for his great service to the legal profession and his dedication to the Rule of Law.
• M. A. Thomas National Human Rights Award for 1998.
• Padma Vibhushan Award by the President of India in 1999. This is the second-highest civilian award in India, after the Bharath Ratna.
• Recipient of Vyloppilli Award 1999 for his excellent work in human rights, law, and administration. He received this award in February 2000.
• 'The Order of Friendship', given by President Putin in October 2000. This is a high state honor from Russia. It recognized his personal contribution to strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two nations.
• Honorary doctorate from University of Calicut in 2003.

See also

• List of animal rights advocates