CJI Ramana Condoles Passing Away of Justice Mohan Shantanagoudar

The demise of Justice and the reason behind it

The Newly assigned Chief Justice of India Justice N. V. Ramana on April 25, 2021, articulated sorrow at the passing away of Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar, Judge of the Supreme Court who passed away after fighting cancer.

Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar was a 63-year-old active judge who passed away late in the evening of Saturday. He suffered a continued illness and recently infected with pneumonia.

Who was Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar

1. Justice Shantanagoudar was born on May 5, 1958, and joined as an advocate in the year 1980. He practiced for one year at Dharwad before changing his practice to Bengaluru.
2. He assisted Karnataka State Bar Council as vice-chairperson from the year 1991 to 1993 and as chairperson of Karnataka State Bar Council during the years 1995 and 1996. He also assisted Karnataka State as a public prosecutor from 1999 to 2002.
3. Further, he was also assigned as an additional judge of the High Court of Karnataka on May 12, 2003, and made a perpetual judge on September 24, 2004.
4. On transfer, he sworn in as judge of the High Court of Kerala and later presumed the charge as acting Chief Justice of Kerala High Court on August 1, 2016. Then sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court in the year 2016 on September 22.

Finally, he was appointed as Judge of the Supreme Court of India on February 17, 2017

Grief Expressed by CJI and President of India

The Chief Justice of India Justice N. V. Ramana while expressing grief at the passing away of the Justice said “I was hoping for his speedy and complete recovery and his return to the Bench at the earliest. The news of his passing has come as a rude shock. I have lost a valued colleague. In the last four years of my association with him in the Supreme Court, I have benefitted immensely from his amazing legal acumen”.

The President of India Ram Nath Kovind also tweeted “The demise of Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar has caused deep sorrow. His sound contribution and caliber enabled him to serve as a judge at Karnataka & Kerala High Courts, & finally, the Supreme Court. He leaves behind a void in the legal fraternity. My condolences to his family”.