New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his grief over the death of former Chief Justice of India P.N. Bhagwati, who died on Thursday.
"The demise of Justice P.N. Bhagwati is saddening. He was a stalwart of India's legal fraternity. My deepest condolences," Modi said in a tweet on Thursday.
"Justice PN Bhagwati's remarkable contributions made our judicial system more accessible and gave voice to millions.
Bhagwati died in Delhi on Thursday, a few days after he was admitted to a Delhi hospital with a brief illness. He was 95.
Known for introducing and pioneering Public Interest Litigation, Bhagwati had also participated in India's freedom movement.
Chief Justice of India from July 12, 1985, to December 20, 1986, Bhagwati was born on December 21, 1921, and studied in Bombay. The son of N.H. Bhagwati, who went on to become a Supreme Court judge, he began his law practice at the Bombay High Court and was elevated to the bench of the Gujarat High Court in 1960. He became its Chief Justice in 1967 and a Supreme Court judge in 1973.