Justice V. Ramaswamy: Judge Who Stood Alone

A Judge Vilified, A Life Unfairly Judged

IF THERE WAS was ever a person more sinned against than sinning—after Shakespeare’s King Lear—it was Justice V. Ramaswamy (96), who passed away on March 8. You may wonder why I am writing about a former Supreme Court justice whom I never met or had any dealings with.

History records him as the first Supreme Court judge against whom impeachment proceedings were initiated in Parliament. A search on the Internet yields many negative comments about him, one being that his date of birth was wrongly recorded, allegedly giving him two extra years in service.

In those days, most births occurred at home, and birth certificates were uncommon. The date of birth mentioned at school enrollment became the official record. In my own case, my official birth year is 1952, though I was actually born in 1953. I was admitted directly to Class II, skipping Class I.

We had an Army Chief who tried to extend his tenure, claiming his birth year was wrongly recorded. However, Defence Minister A.K. Antony did not allow it. That general later joined the BJP, won a Lok Sabha election with a margin larger than Narendra Modi’s, and became a minister. Meanwhile, Justice Ramaswamy continued to be maligned on the Internet for “altering” his birth date—though, notably, the impeachment proceedings were not initiated for this reason.

Justice Ramaswamy was serving on the Bench of the Madras High Court when a vacancy arose in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh. At the time, Punjab was a battleground for Khalistanis, with reports of killings—both by secessionists and security forces—emerging not just from interior areas but also from Chandigarh, where a Chief Minister had been assassinated in a bomb blast.

Despite this, Justice Ramaswamy left Chennai at short notice to take up his post in Chandigarh, initially without a promotion. Ordinarily, such courage and sense of duty should have been commended. Instead, when he was later appointed to the Supreme Court, reports surfaced about his alleged extravagant spending while in Chandigarh, implying corruption.

There was even a case about his purchase of ceremonial maces, deemed unnecessary. Since these are matters of detail, I will not delve into the allegations of extravagance. What struck me as bizarre were some of the charges against him. For instance, he was accused of removing all water taps, carpets, curtains, bulbs, fans, tube lights, toilet seats, geysers, and furniture while vacating his official residence.

I find it hard to believe that a High Court judge would remove household items to make a quick buck. If corruption were his motive, he could have earned lakhs, if not crores, by granting bail to certain individuals. Instead, he was accused of selling household items as scrap!

When these allegations surfaced, I had just joined The Tribune in Chandigarh. I conducted my own investigation into how such charges were leveled against him. Justice Ramaswamy had so much trust in his staff that he left the task of vacating his residence to them.

However, he had failed to obtain a clearance certificate from officials confirming that all government-issued items had been returned. Engrossed in his work in Delhi, he remained unaware as some CPWD staff later removed the items for their scrap value.

I was reminded of this when vacating the bungalow The Tribune had allotted me. I made sure to get a certificate confirming that all items—including the air-conditioner, computer, furniture, and fridge—were properly returned. Coincidentally, I was with Prof. P.J. Kurien, then Deputy Speaker of the Rajya Sabha, the day before he left for Kerala for good. I saw him doing the same, obtaining a CPWD clearance certificate.

I was surprised when a three-judge committee found the allegations against Justice Ramaswamy true, leading to the initiation of impeachment—the only way a judge can be removed.

A leading lawyer, Kapil Sibal, whose father practiced in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, was engaged to defend him in Parliament. Sibal did a commendable job, earning a reputation that later helped him become an MP and Union Minister, handling portfolios like Human Resource Development and Science and Technology.

I once had a quiet breakfast with Sibal the day after the tsunami struck southern India. “I had not even heard the name tsunami before that day,” he admitted, despite being the Science and Technology Minister. He then detailed all he had done in response. Apologies for the digression.

After Sibal’s speech, many parties abstained from voting. Since a two-thirds majority was required for impeachment, the proceedings ended there. Justice Ramaswamy was not given judicial assignments and was allowed to retire.

That is why I compared him to King Lear, who trusted his glib-talking daughters but not the one who truly loved him. His story is a reminder of how easily public figures can be vilified—sometimes unfairly—and how history often records only controversies, not the full measure of a person’s life.

While Justice V. Ramaswamy was the first to face impeachment proceedings, he was also a man who took risks, upheld his duty, and faced adversity with quiet dignity. Perhaps, in time, a more balanced perspective on his legacy will emerge—one that acknowledges both his flaws and his contributions.

May his soul rest in peace!

Also Read: The Crass Dishonesty of Former CJI Chandrachud

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