Former Supreme Court Justice AR Lakshmanan has passed away in the morning hours of Thursday at the age of 78 due to cardiac arrest. One of the reputed national faces of the judiciary, the former justice had breathed his last at Kauvery Hospital in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, two days after the demise of his wife.
Justice Lakshmanan was a prominent figure who had earned an immense reputation across the country. He served as the Madras High Court judge in 1990 and then he was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Kerala High court in 1997. Following Kerala, he had served as the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh High Court and in 2002, he was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court.
He served in the apex court for five years and he retired in 2017 following which he held the post of Chairman of the Law Commission. In what can be called as the pride of Tamil Nadu, Justice Lakshmanan was the first Tamilian to get appointed as the Judge of the Supreme Court, which etched his face in the state. A native of Devakottai in Tamil Nadu, his demise had saddened the leaders and people who have been paying their condolences.
According to the reports, Lakshmanan's wife had tested positive for the COVID-19 and she succumbed to the viral infection on Tuesday morning and her demise had grieved the former justice and he was moved to hospital after he complained of cardiac pain. His relatives said he didn't have a proper intake of food since his wife had demised and on Thursday, he had a cardiac arrest and he breathed his last.
Justice Lakshmanan was part of the Supreme Court bench that pronounced the judgment of banning smoking in public places. After his demise, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, DMK President MK Stalin, and former Union Minister P Chidambaram and placed their condolences to the deceased justice. In his obituary note, the Chief Minister said Justice Lakshmanan was a prominent advocate and through his efficient arguments, he had won several cases.
The Chief Minister further stated that he had established his place in the justice system through his hard work and smart arguments. His death is a huge loss for the state and the justice system. Former Union Minister P Chidambaram took to Twitter and said, "I express my condolences for the death of former Justice AR Lakshmanan who brought pride to Tamil Nadu and Sivaganga". Sivaganga is the native district of both the deceased justice and the former Union Minister.
தமிழ்நாட்டுக்கும் சிவகங்கை மாவட்டத்திற்கும் பெருமை சேர்த்த உச்ச நீதிமன்ற நீதிபதி திரு ஏ. ஆர். லக்ஷ்மணன் அவர்களின் மறைவுக்கு என் ஆழ்ந்த இரங்கலையும் அனுதாபங்களையும் தெரிவித்துக் கொள்கிறேன்
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) August 27, 2020
DMK President MK Stalin had recalled how Lakshmanan had, being a Chairman of the Law Commission, noted that making Hindi as a compulsory language in the Supreme Court as non-feasible in 2008. Stalin tweeted, "Former Justice AR Lakshmanan had given many important and appreciable judgments including not making Hindi compulsory in the Supreme Court. I was deeply saddened beyond words when I heard the passing of former Justice Lakshmanan. My condolences to the family".
நீதியரசர் ஏ.ஆர். லட்சுமணன் மறைவெய்தினார் என்ற செய்தியறிந்து சொல்லொணாத் துயரடைந்தேன்!
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) August 27, 2020
உச்சநீதிமன்றத்தில் இந்தியைக் கட்டாயமாக்கக் கூடாது என்பது உட்பட புகழ்மிக்க பல பரிந்துரைகளையும், தீர்ப்புகளையும் வழங்கியவர்!
அவரை இழந்து வாடும் குடும்பத்தினருக்கு ஆழ்ந்த அனுதாபமும், இரங்கலும்! pic.twitter.com/7ekrVYEkEy
The reports stated that his last rites had taken place at his native place Devokottai at around 11.30 am on Thursday. Justice Lakshmanan was the Chairman of the Eighteenth Law Commission of India and his son Sundaresan is a Senior Advocate practicing at the Madras High Court.
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