G. S. Singhvi

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

Hon'ble Mr. Justice

G.S. Singhvi
Judge, Supreme Court of India
In office
12 Nov 2007 – 12 Dec 2013 [1]
Appointed byPratibha Patil, President of India
Chief Justice, Andhra Pradesh High Court
In office
27 November 2005 – 11 November 2007
Judge, Gujarat High Court
In office
28 February 2005 – 26 November 2005
Personal details
Born (1948-12-12) 12 December 1948
Jodhpur, Rajasthan
NationalityIndian
Alma materRajasthan University

Early life and education

Justice 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

As a lawyer

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

As a judge

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 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
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 is heading a bench of Supreme Court dealing with abuse of vehicle beacon lights. During the hearings, the bench said, "A judge becomes hourable 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
Main article: Suresh Kumar Koushal v. Naz Foundation

A bench of justice GS Singhvi and justice SJ 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][9][10][11][12][13] The judges stated that "a miniscule 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[14] 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[15] stressed on the need for equality and opposed any discrimination against lesbians, gays and bisexuals.[16]

The judgement was overturned by a larger constitutional bench on 6 September 2018.[17]

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 ₹1 million (US$14,000) Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) for its illegal act.[18][19]

Quotes
  • "It is sad to say that my generation have failed the nation, and in a nation where 700 million people live below the poverty line we tend to talk about justice. We talk about our fundamental rights being trampled upon but what about those people who do not get two square meals a day, have no right to education, shelter, clothing and other basic amenities, and what about tribal people."
    • Justice Singhvi speaking at a seminar in Guwahati, Assam on 12 May 2012.[20]
  • "The 'jan sevaks' are fast becoming our masters, the first citizens followed by the rich and the poor only as third class citizens"
    • Justice Singhvi speaking at a seminar in Guwahati, Assam 12 May 2012.[20]

References
  1. "Judge Profile". Supreme Court of Indiawebsite. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  2. "Justice G.S. Singhvi – Profile". Supreme Court of India. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  3. "Supreme Court quashes 122 2G licences awarded in 2008". DNA.
  4. "SC quashes 122 licences". The Times of India. 2 February 2012.
  5. "Vehicle beacon lights case". The Times of India. 7 April 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  6. "GS Singhvi: Illustrious career, controversial end". Hindustan Times. 12 December 2013.
  7. "Justice GS Singhvi, judge who upheld gay sex as a criminal offence, retires as Supreme Court judge". DNA India. 11 December 2013.
  8. "Read the judgement first: Justice Singhvi who restored ban on gay sex". NDTV.com.
  9. "News18.com: CNN-News18 Breaking News India, Latest News Headlines, Live News Updates". News18.
  10. "Supreme Court verdict talks of "so-called rights" of LGBT: excerpts". NDTV.com.
  11. "Anger over India's anti-gay ruling". 12 December 2013 – via www.abc.net.au.
  12. "News18.com: CNN-News18 Breaking News India, Latest News Headlines, Live News Updates". News18.
  13. Burke, Jason (11 December 2013). "Indian LGBT activists outraged as supreme court reinstates gay sex ban" – via www.theguardian.com.
  14. "Press Trust of India". The Indian Express (22 July). Press Trust of India. 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  15. Ratnam, Dhamini (14 January 2015). "BJP supports decriminalization of homosexuality: Shaina NC".
  16. "Centre moves apex court for review of Section 377 ruling". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 21 December 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  17. "LGBT community expresses shock as Supreme Court rules gay sex illegal, calls it a 'black day'". India Today. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  18. "Greater Noida farmers get their 'robbed' land back, GNIDA Supreme Court rap". DNA (Daily News & Analysis). 6 July 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  19. "Noida flat buyers must get refund with interest: SC". The Indian Express. 13 July 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  20. ""Our generation has failed the nation" – Justice GS Singhvi". Law et al News. 13 May 2012. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
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